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Author Topic: How much will it cost to finish from 16 weeks on bought in feed  (Read 5520 times)

darkbrowneggs

  • Joined Aug 2010
    • The World is My Lobster
How much will it cost to finish from 16 weeks on bought in feed
« on: February 13, 2012, 11:16:03 pm »
Hi All - Over the years I have kept the odd pair of weaners, but last year looked at the prices, added in the feed (which I will have to buy in) costs of getting home, getting to the abattoir 50ml round trip, collecting offal, collecting meat, paying slaughter and butchery and decided to live on chicken for a while

I can now have a pair of 16 wk old GOS cross for £120, being bigger they are going to be eating a lot, though not for quite as long, but then again I don't know how well they have been "done" so far. 

Is it worth the effort.  I am not as young and enthusiastic as I once was  :(  Plus still have plenty of beef chicken and pheasant in the freezer - just out of pork and lamb
To follow my travel journal see http://www.theworldismylobster.org.uk

For lots of info about Marans and how to breed and look after them see www.darkbrowneggs.info

Dan

  • The Accidental Smallholder
  • Administrator
  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Carnoustie, Angus
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Re: How much will it cost to finish from 16 weeks on bought in feed
« Reply #1 on: February 14, 2012, 08:37:08 am »
We put our costs on the main TAS site which you might find useful:

http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/livestock/pigs/pig-costs/

Fowgill Farm

  • Joined Feb 2009
Re: How much will it cost to finish from 16 weeks on bought in feed
« Reply #2 on: February 14, 2012, 09:21:44 am »
Assuming you're taking them to 24wks to kill, i'd base my feeding on a 25kg bag sow nuts lasting one pig 12 days (based on feeding them just over 2kg a day) therefore you'll be feeding them for approx 8wks (56 days) divided by 12 = approx 5 bags per pig which i buy in bulk at £7.50/bag so would cost me £75 for the two ( 10 bags). If you can add ito the mix fruit & veg you might bring it down but personally i use fruit and veg as extras rather than in place of nuts at this time of year.
I'm sure the others will be along with their costings shortly.
HTH
Mandy  :pig:

Tamsaddle

  • Joined May 2011
  • Hampshire, near Portsmouth
Re: How much will it cost to finish from 16 weeks on bought in feed
« Reply #3 on: February 14, 2012, 10:50:54 am »
My figures would be 4.0, 4.25, 4.5, and 4.75 lbs per pig per day for weeks 17, 18, 19, and 20.  After that 5 lbs per pig per day.   This comes to 122 lbs (55.6 kgs) for the first 4 weeks, 140 lbs (63.5 kgs) for weeks 21 to 24.
So the total per pig from 17 to 24 weeks is 120 kg.   My feed is more expensive than Mandy's, £7.00 for a 20 kg bag, so the total comes to £42 per pig, £84 for 2 pigs.    Every week over 24 weeks old is another 35 lbs (15.9 kgs) per pig = £5.60 per pig per week at my feed prices.    However, in another post on "fatty pigs", Chickenfeed talks about cutting back during the last 2 weeks - this is a new one on me and something I have not tried before.  Our slaughter costs are £21 per pig, and fuel at whatever it costs.    HTH   Tamsaddle

darkbrowneggs

  • Joined Aug 2010
    • The World is My Lobster
Re: How much will it cost to finish from 16 weeks on bought in feed
« Reply #4 on: February 14, 2012, 02:30:07 pm »
Still considering, and many thanks for the input everyone.  I see in the store I have two and a half bags of ground soya meal.  I bought this to boost the protein for the layers, but decided against using it as (apparently) it is not good for fowl

Could I use this or would I need to boil it first.  If I can this may bring my feed costs down.  There is a bull beef unit just up the road, maybe I could buy in some of their cattle mix and boost it with the soya?

Again many thanks for the input...... by the time I have made up my mind they will have probably gone  ;D
To follow my travel journal see http://www.theworldismylobster.org.uk

For lots of info about Marans and how to breed and look after them see www.darkbrowneggs.info

robert waddell

  • Guest
Re: How much will it cost to finish from 16 weeks on bought in feed
« Reply #5 on: February 14, 2012, 04:20:18 pm »
you can save money with buying rolled or milled barley and mixing the soya     but you have to do it correctly  to much protein and they s**t themselves
i did costings for the hamlops/ Hampshire's       its on here somewhere   and a kilo of pork cost 60p to put on with sow rolls
osb crossed with what  and is that £120 for 2 or each
oh you Will need a mixing licence for the soya unless you are layering it :farmer:

darkbrowneggs

  • Joined Aug 2010
    • The World is My Lobster
Re: How much will it cost to finish from 16 weeks on bought in feed
« Reply #6 on: February 14, 2012, 08:31:48 pm »
Thanks Robert.  They are GOSxMiddlewhite

What is layering?   
To follow my travel journal see http://www.theworldismylobster.org.uk

For lots of info about Marans and how to breed and look after them see www.darkbrowneggs.info

robert waddell

  • Guest
Re: How much will it cost to finish from 16 weeks on bought in feed
« Reply #7 on: February 14, 2012, 08:49:20 pm »
a layer or rolled barley a layer of soya a layer of rolled barley ;) :farmer:
if they are well at themselves you should be able to get them to a good weight     if they are lean and impoverished it takes more and longer to get them up to a suitable weight     :farmer:
« Last Edit: February 14, 2012, 08:53:04 pm by robert waddell »

darkbrowneggs

  • Joined Aug 2010
    • The World is My Lobster
Re: How much will it cost to finish from 16 weeks on bought in feed
« Reply #8 on: February 14, 2012, 10:07:16 pm »
But if I did that in a bucket then stirred it with a big wooden spoon it would be mixing an require a licence?
To follow my travel journal see http://www.theworldismylobster.org.uk

For lots of info about Marans and how to breed and look after them see www.darkbrowneggs.info

lill

  • Joined May 2011
Re: How much will it cost to finish from 16 weeks on bought in feed
« Reply #9 on: February 14, 2012, 11:53:23 pm »
Yes dbe, you would definitely need a licence

robert waddell

  • Guest
Re: How much will it cost to finish from 16 weeks on bought in feed
« Reply #10 on: February 15, 2012, 08:51:32 am »
the best thing is buy feed in that way you do not need to have a licence just a vermin proof container for storing feed
layering in feed troughs or buckets does not need a licence       once you start to use wooden spoons or any stirring device ;) you need a licence     even putting the the ingredients in a bag and shaking it about you need a licence     in reality it is a bit like speeding we can all do it   but not everybody gets caught  :farmer:

Dutchjim

  • Joined Jun 2011
  • Chartridge
Re: How much will it cost to finish from 16 weeks on bought in feed
« Reply #11 on: February 15, 2012, 06:09:23 pm »
Has any small scale farmer ever been convicted by not having a licence?
Silly laws like this need breaking otherwise the world will go mad. Like same health and
safety laws. Don,t let the paperwork people run your life!!
www.chilternridge.com
Apple Juice made from your apples

robert waddell

  • Guest
Re: How much will it cost to finish from 16 weeks on bought in feed
« Reply #12 on: February 15, 2012, 06:20:55 pm »
well if you have the balls just get wired in there      we will watch from the side lines ;) :farmer:

czechmate

  • Joined Mar 2010
Re: How much will it cost to finish from 16 weeks on bought in feed
« Reply #13 on: February 17, 2012, 07:32:16 pm »
I was advised, by my sons tutor, that a licence was only required if mixing feed to sell and not for home use. When I got my first pigs, hence my new herd no, I was inspected by whoever and they were happy I was home milling feed and no mention made of a licence :)

 

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