Author Topic: price per kg? (Read 21168 times)

Porterlauren · « **Reply #30 on:** October 11, 2014, 12:48:15 am »

On the back of this thread, we've decided to do just that. And also to start doing 10 kg pork boxes. We can afford to do them for 40 / 45 quid, and make a real healthy profit off them, while giving people a good sized and mixed box of pork, with a couple of joints, some chops, belly and sausages for a pretty low price.

Daisys Mum · « **Reply #31 on:** October 12, 2014, 06:51:37 pm »

I have never been able to sell mine at any less that £180 for a half pig, but that was taking into account that I was paying £50 a weaner, my butchering costs were 92pence a kilo just for cutting, sausages and bacon were extra, I also had to pay for bone waste and then vat on top. If you do happen to have any spare I would be interested as I couldn't do pigs this year!

Fowgill Farm · « **Reply #32 on:** October 13, 2014, 11:47:47 am »

Looking at Porterlaurens inputs/costs seems is running a toned down commercial set up using commercial pigs crossed with traditional(pietrains which were speciffically imported into the UK to give commercial pigs a better bigger carcass), if she were running traditional breeds of pigs lpure like saddlebacks or gos it wouldn't do so well as you can't rush them to finish so difficult to compare to what the majority of us do.
Good luck if thats your thing but i'll stick to the traditional breeds without any modern breeds mixed in.I like my pork grown slowly.
mandy

Porterlauren · « **Reply #33 on:** October 13, 2014, 10:37:00 pm »

Well, actually we have, and do, run pure GOS, pure saddlebacks, and OSBs. We had a saddleback back from the butcher last week, and have two OSBs going of the week after next. The last saddleback came back at 70 kilos dead weight (pork) and 10 kilos of sausages. It was killed at 8 months old, and was a very good quality carcass. It didn't blow our budget. We also AI the ped saddleback sows to a pie train boar, as, just like you say, it gives a great carcass conformation, and with it being half saddleback, and outdoor reared on a free range system, with a good wholesome diet the taste is excellent. I would imagine many would struggle to tell you it wasn't a traditional breed, it certainly doesn't taste like it came from a super market. What people DO notice, is that the chops are larger, the joints fuller etc.

The other advantages of the x bred pigs we keep, is that you can run them on as long as you like and has a lower risk of running to fat.

P.S Do you really feed your sows 20kg of feed a day? And not mate them until 2 years old. We have one with a litter of 11, her second litter, by age 2, who is certainly not fed 20 kg a day, and was pronounced by the vet to be in excellent condition.

We run a small scale set up, but everything here has to be justifiable financially.

RaisinHall Tamworths · « **Reply #34 on:** October 14, 2014, 08:37:08 pm »

We do very similar to you Porterlauren. We have pure Tamworths and Hampshires and also do crosses of the two with success. The Hams put some shape on the Tams but the Tams put a nice amount of fat on the meat too so not really lean.

Louise going back to your original question, we sell half pigs for £130 and that is for around 25kg of meat plus packs of sausage. We make some money from this but not enough to give up the day job!!

ScotsGirl · « **Reply #35 on:** October 14, 2014, 11:19:26 pm »

I think that must be a typo, usually 2kg or 4lb of nuts a day I think. I think this is a recurring conversation but round this way (unless buying at market) weaners are £35-50, feed is £9 a bag roughly and slaughter costs are £40-50 depending on size. Cost me £112 for my sausages and £80 for the bacon and gammon. So that was £422 plus approx £300 on feed for 3 pigs. So. Now you can see they have to fetch £250-300 to make a profit as no account here for vets or equipment.

This was OSB killed at 7-8 months. Sold in quarter boxes with one or two packs of sausages depending on box weight (10-12kg) £70 a box. 3 packs of sausages for £10, gammon and bacon £10/kg. no problem selling like this.

Porterlauren · « **Reply #36 on:** October 15, 2014, 12:09:42 am »

It does sound a lot more palatable when you say a 10-12 kg pork box for 70 quid. When you say a half pig at £10/kg it makes my eyes water. Mind you, if someone wanted to pay me £700 for one of my pigs, i'd probably take it!

MKay · « **Reply #37 on:** October 17, 2014, 01:13:29 pm »

Smokey our sow is a big girl and feeding ten piglets at 10weeks old she was getting a 10kg bucket twice a day, the piglets always dive in but Smokey would hog the lions share (say 75%) but that's what it takes to keep her in cs4 and feed ten piglets until 15weeks when she chose to wean them. That was outside in march up here with a straw bale shelter.

Secondly yes I wouldn't put a gilt in pig until she was mature. Just because they are sexually mature doesn't mean you have to put them in. But most people cannot justify having them doing nothing and eating food until they are mature so start them producing litters as soon as possible. I can and do.

My ten kg box will contain; chops, steaks(loin and chump), leg joint and sausages. All vac packed and labeled(custom mooprint lables). So perhaps due to the lack of 'cheap' cuts (which I love to much to sell to people who may not appreciate its value-ie cconsider it a cheap cut) my box is worth £100/10kg.

hughesy · « **Reply #38 on:** October 17, 2014, 02:18:03 pm »

Never underestimate the amount of feed a sow and litter can get through. 20kg a day wasn't enough to stop one of ours going out of condition with 14 piglets hanging on.

twizzel · « **Reply #39 on:** October 18, 2014, 04:49:05 pm »

Quote from: Porterlauren on October 13, 2014, 10:37:00 pm

I would imagine many would struggle to tell you it wasn't a traditional breed, it certainly doesn't taste like it came from a super market. What people DO notice, is that the chops are larger, the joints fuller etc.

I second this with our lamb- they are all commercial lambs but never had a complaint yet and again doesn't taste like supermarket or even farm shop lamb... again the people who have our lambs notice larger fuller joints and thicker chops, and they can run on longer without the risk of them going overfat like a lot of rare breeds can do. So there's a lot to be said for commercial types...

MKay · « **Reply #40 on:** October 18, 2014, 06:57:15 pm »

Some people can't tell the difference between blue nun and eroica. It does not mean there is not a difference for those with a more perceptive pallet.

I can tell you the type, feed and maturation of of a backstrap, sirloin or loin steak. So can my customers and they are willing to pay for it.

Again I am not saying your commercial lamb is poor but I would be able to tell the difference if you served it to me alongside a heb, Jacob or Soay.

I don't eat for sustenance I eat because I love the taste of food, either your a meat eater or a meat connoisseur I suppose, nothing wrong with either. But being one doesn't justify deniying the other doesn't exist.

MKay · « **Reply #41 on:** October 19, 2014, 03:22:02 pm »

And even then- those that can will often buy inferior yet acceptable produce to ensure finances go far enough.

Porterlauren · « **Reply #42 on:** October 19, 2014, 04:43:04 pm »

Have a read back through that.

Are you that 'superior' in real life? Do you spend much of your time looking down on / slagging off others, who don't entirely agree with you or your method of doing things?

That's not meant to be an insult particularly, just an observation. It kind of makes me smile. The world is very lucky to have you around with your superior produce, more perceptive pallet and connoisseur's attitude toward food. God help the rest of us lowly mortals

Just because something is less expensive does not make it inferior.

MKay · « **Reply #43 on:** October 19, 2014, 09:48:09 pm »

Really? Considering I have been called extortionate and the previous poster was trying to say that there is no difference between commercial breeds and natives. If I extoll the virtues of my produce and my ability to discern the two I am conceited? Fair enough. Do you feel the same about the artist with tetracroma who is currently circulating in the media?

Yes most cheaper products are inferior to their more expensive rivals, blue nun-eroica, Peugeot-Audi, silverline-grandfors.

If I raise a commercial white turkey and a Narragansett side by side together- they will not taste the same on the plate.

And I too thank the imaginary lord for Michael Ruhlman, Gordon Ramsey and everyone else with a pallet who will not humour mediocrity.

Again, not that any of my fello Smallholders produce is such(mediocre) but yes my neighbouring farmers do, as do danepack, Bernard Mathews and Halls and I do lament the loss of traditional farming with native breeds and butchers who hang and cut with skill and care.