The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: JulieS on July 11, 2011, 08:22:08 am

Title: Selling to Butchers
Post by: JulieS on July 11, 2011, 08:22:08 am

I've been approached by a local butcher who wants to buy whole carcasses from me.

I breed Pedigree GOS pigs so need to make sure I'm not underselling the meat, but of course understand that I won't get a retail price for the pork.

I've worked out my costs, and was wondering what others charge in a similar situation?

Please feel free to PM me.

Many thanks.

Title: Re: Selling to Butchers
Post by: SallyintNorth on July 11, 2011, 09:36:33 am

Farmers' Weekly has recent deadweight averages around 152ppk.  So assuming your butcher is wanting them at 60kg deadweight, s/he'd pay £90+ for a commercial animal at the same weight.  Hopefully s/he'd expect to pay more for rare breed / free range - but I've no idea how much more.  My local butcher will have the conversation with me if I can get the back fat down to nearer 12mm - I'm sure I can improve on 20mm but 12mm doesn't sound enough to keep a free range pig warm!  ;D

Title: Re: Selling to Butchers
Post by: JulieS on July 11, 2011, 10:12:15 am

Many thanks Sally.

I'm at around 15 mm back fat, which the butcher is delighted with  (the pigs are 15mm, I'm a lot more!!!lol)

He's having 2, they are off to the abattoir tomorrow......I think I'll take a trip into the butcher and see just how much I can get him to go up.  :)

Title: Re: Selling to Butchers
Post by: Berkshire Boy on July 11, 2011, 12:21:43 pm

Hi Julie,
I sell some of my Berkshires to a local butcher and he pays £2-50 a kilo which I am quite happy with. More would be nice but it suits us both at the moment. ;)

Title: Re: Selling to Butchers
Post by: JulieS on July 11, 2011, 12:38:25 pm

Many thanks Berkshire Boy.  Do you pay the kill costs?

Title: Re: Selling to Butchers
Post by: Berkshire Boy on July 11, 2011, 03:35:38 pm

Bit of a disputed area,  ::) I say he should pay and he says I should so we split it down the middle.

Title: Re: Selling to Butchers
Post by: JulieS on July 11, 2011, 06:03:57 pm

Sounds like a good way to deal with the kill costs then BB  :)

I'm going to let him have these two at £2.40 per kilo with me paying the kill costs.  I'm hoping when he sees what excellent pork it is I can negotiate a bit higher  :) :)

Title: Re: Selling to Butchers
Post by: TheCaptain on July 11, 2011, 08:13:22 pm

Does that cover your costs? Doesn't seem like a lot of profit for a lot of hard work...

Title: Re: Selling to Butchers
Post by: princesspiggy on July 11, 2011, 11:56:11 pm

Quote from: JulieS on July 11, 2011, 06:03:57 pm

I'm going to let him have these two at £2.40 per kilo with me paying the kill costs. 

is that per kilo live weight or dead?

Title: Re: Selling to Butchers
Post by: JulieS on July 12, 2011, 06:18:07 am

No, not much profit at all, but I have quite a few meat pigs ready to go at the moment.  I need to clear a lot of my pens to do some maintenance work over the summer, so helps me at this point.