Author Topic: How many pigs???  (Read 17071 times)

Curly Sue

  • Joined Dec 2013
How many pigs???
« on: December 16, 2013, 08:17:46 pm »
In 2014 I will be buying some pigs with 2 objectives in mind - I want 1 pig butchered and in the freezer at no cost and I want £1,200 profit (something I want to buy.......). I will be doing it with a friend who lives nearby on some land he has bought - 4 acres. Is this realistic on 4 acres with my first foray into swine?
Constructive criticism / thoughts welcome!

YoungRasher

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • DERBYSHIRE
Re: How many pigs???
« Reply #1 on: December 16, 2013, 08:27:47 pm »
I can't help but if you find a way to do it please share it with us all.

shygirl

  • Joined May 2013
Re: How many pigs???
« Reply #2 on: December 16, 2013, 08:41:43 pm »
YES , absolutely. go for it  :-J

Azzdodd

  • Joined Apr 2012
Re: How many pigs???
« Reply #3 on: December 16, 2013, 08:47:55 pm »
You want too make £1200 profit from one pig? Is that right 4 acres is a good amount for the pigs are the fences good there? Pigs cost a lot too feed that's thesis cost

Q

  • Joined Apr 2013
Re: How many pigs???
« Reply #4 on: December 16, 2013, 08:48:38 pm »
There is a pig costings calculator somewhere on this site.  That would give you a good start with the real costs of keeping pigs.
Bit optimistic in year 1 for me unless you are thinking of lots of pigs.

I watched a video from polyface farm about how he processed pigs through 20 acres - maybe it would work if you scale it down to your 4 acres.
Its a bit tedious to watch but an interesting concept.

How Joel Salatin Nets 60k/year on 20 Acres of Rented Land!

Good luck either way!
If you cant beat 'em then at least bugger 'em about a bit.

Berkshire Boy

  • Joined May 2011
  • Presteigne, Powys
Re: How many pigs???
« Reply #5 on: December 16, 2013, 09:31:58 pm »
This has to be one almighty wind up or just barking mad.
Everyone makes mistakes as the Dalek said climbing off the dustbin.

shygirl

  • Joined May 2013
Re: How many pigs???
« Reply #6 on: December 16, 2013, 09:35:03 pm »
id say def a wind up - from a pig farmer who completely understands no-one makes a penny  :roflanim: :roflanim:

renting the land out would make the money though  ;D

hughesy

  • Joined Feb 2010
  • Anglesey
Re: How many pigs???
« Reply #7 on: December 16, 2013, 10:23:57 pm »
I've heard the old "there's no money in pigs" thing many times and for a lot of people there isn't. However to start up with pigs and expect to just walk into profit is very naive. Or a wind up. Please do come back and tell us how you got on.

Bodger

  • Joined Jul 2009
Re: How many pigs???
« Reply #8 on: December 16, 2013, 11:39:27 pm »
Probably best to just go on the game. :trophy:

hughesy

  • Joined Feb 2010
  • Anglesey
Re: How many pigs???
« Reply #9 on: December 17, 2013, 07:53:05 am »
I remember one of the pundits on the BBC business news saying that as far as making a living from investing in shares goes, you might as well put your money on a horse! Unless you do your homework and are prepared to work very hard, the same could be said of keeping pigs except there's less chance of winning.

Fowgill Farm

  • Joined Feb 2009
Re: How many pigs???
« Reply #10 on: December 17, 2013, 08:09:12 am »
Curly Sue
Either your £1200 is a typing error ??? or you're barking mad!
This week I've sent 3 pedigree GOS pigs to the butchers for pork, I sell them at £280 per pig = £840
Out of that theres £193 butchering costs, then theres the feed they've had, water, straw and transport costs to come out so I'm lucky to break even, we keep one quarter for ourselves.
Commercial pig farmers losse roughly between £5 & 18 per pig so go figure.....do the math!
Keep dreaming girl, you ain't gonna make your fortune in pigs! keep doing that lottery.
best regards
mandy :pig:
God I'm getting cynical in my old age.........................................................!

Bodger

  • Joined Jul 2009
Re: How many pigs???
« Reply #11 on: December 17, 2013, 08:16:16 am »
Hey old age isn't that bad a thing. Well not so far anyway. :fc:

Curly Sue

  • Joined Dec 2013
Re: How many pigs???
« Reply #12 on: December 17, 2013, 08:31:32 am »
Morning All,

No, it's not a wind up, just ignorant of the facts.  It almost sounds as if the more pigs I have the greater the loss.. that's a sad story  ???  :-[
If I temper my objectives for year 1 then maybe a more realistic goal would be to keep half a pig myself from 4 acres and maybe 8 pigs...  I'll have a look at the calculator and see what it throws up. 
Is it realistic to package ourselves and sell retail..?

Dan

  • The Accidental Smallholder
  • Administrator
  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Carnoustie, Angus
    • The Accidental Smallholder
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Re: How many pigs???
« Reply #13 on: December 17, 2013, 08:37:38 am »
Even if you're well connected and it's a one-off enterprise, can think creatively and have some very generous friends who will take pity buy stuff from you at inflated prices, there's a vanishingly small chance you could achieve this.

The only conceivable way to do it would be to sell value-added produce at the end of the chain. Top-end charcuterie can go for £50+ per kg. So to get your £1,200 profit let's say you need to produce 30kg of quality salami, be at break-even before selling an ounce of it, be able to sell it at little cost, and have a butchered pig in your freezer for you.

The trouble is that raising pigs to produce the quality of pork you will need to prodice a premium product requires high quality inputs - good stock, good feed and good stockmanship.

You don't mention if there is any infrastructure on the 4 acres or if your profit needs to cover capital investment too. Pigs need houses, good fencing (or very good walls), and management. That all takes time and money.

If you are costing your time too then there's nay chance. And thinking about it, even if you're not costing your time there's nay chance.  :D

Dan

  • The Accidental Smallholder
  • Administrator
  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Carnoustie, Angus
    • The Accidental Smallholder
    • Facebook
Re: How many pigs???
« Reply #14 on: December 17, 2013, 08:53:54 am »
Sorry, didn't see your reply before posting.

It is a sad story, and most people who keep pigs on a small scale don't do it to make money, because it's so difficult to do without making significant compromises.

Have a read of our pig articles where we go through the basics and share some of our experiences and costs:

http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/livestock/pigs/

The pig calculator is at the end. Rosemary also posted about our pig venture this year, which was the smallest scale we've kept pigs on and should give some more idea of the economics:

http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/diary/kunekune-pigs-for-meat/

And please ask questions or search through the forum for previous posts - there are a lot of very knowledgeable people on here who will be happy to help.  :thumbsup:

 

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