Reducing the slaughter weight of pigs

Many producers have increased slaughter weights in recent years and the economics of doing this are generally in favour, even with high feed costs and pig price below the overall cost of production, as demonstrated below.

Back to Feed price volatility in the pork sector

However, with potentially increasing feed costs, it may become more profitable to finish pigs at a lower slaughter weight, with a reduced feed input. 

Use the data in the table below to help decide the best option for you.

Before making any decisions, it is essential to discuss this with your contract supplier and nutritionist, and after careful consideration of the data relating to profit margins.

Calculation of margin over feed (£/pig) per 5 kg increase in carcase weight at various pig and feed prices

Feed price (£/tonne)

 

140

150

160

170

180

190

200

210

220

230

240

Pig price

(p/kg DW)

Kg Deadweight

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From

To

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

105

 

 

 

65

70

2.39

2.19

1.99

1.78

1.58

1.38

1.17

0.97

0.76

0.56

0.36

70

 

75

2.30

2.09

1.88

1.67

1.46

1.25

1.04

0.83

0.62

0.41

0.20

75

 

80

2.21

1.99

1.78

1.56

1.34

1.13

0.91

0.69

0.47

0.26

0.04

80

 

85

2.12

1.89

1.67

1.45

1.22

1.00

0.78

0.55

0.33

0.11

(0.12)

85

 

90

2.03

1.80

1.57

1.34

1.11

0.88

0.64

0.41

0.18

(0.05)

(0.28)

90

 

95

1.93

1.70

1.46

1.22

0.99

0.75

0.51

0.28

0.04

(0.20)

(0.43)

95

 

100

1.84

1.60

1.36

1.11

0.87

0.62

0.38

0.14

(0.11)

(0.35)

(0.59)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

115

 

 

 

65

 

70

2.89

2.69

2.49

2.28

2.08

1.88

1.67

1.47

1.26

1.06

0.86

70

 

75

2.80

2.59

2.38

2.17

1.96

1.75

1.54

1.33

1.12

0.91

0.70

75

 

80

2.71

2.49

2.28

2.06

1.84

1.63

1.41

1.19

0.97

0.76

0.54

80

 

85

2.62

2.39

2.17

1.95

1.72

1.50

1.28

1.05

0.83

0.61

0.38

85

 

90

2.53

2.30

2.07

1.84

1.61

1.38

1.14

0.91

0.68

0.45

0.22

90

 

95

2.43

2.20

1.96

1.72

1.49

1.25

1.01

0.78

0.54

0.30

0.07

95

 

100

2.34

2.10

1.86

1.61

1.37

1.13

0.88

0.64

0.39

0.15

(0.09)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

125

 

 

 

65

 

70

3.39

3.19

2.99

2.78

2.58

2.38

2.17

1.97

1.76

1.56

1.36

70

 

75

3.30

3.09

2.88

2.67

2.46

2.25

2.04

1.83

1.62

1.41

1.20

75

 

80

3.21

2.99

2.78

2.56

2.34

2.13

1.91

1.69

1.47

1.26

1.04

80

 

85

3.12

2.89

2.67

2.45

2.22

2.00

1.78

1.55

1.33

1.11

0.88

85

 

90

3.03

2.80

2.57

2.34

2.11

1.88

1.64

1.41

1.18

0.95

0.72

90

 

95

2.93

2.70

2.46

2.22

1.99

1.75

1.51

1.28

1.04

0.80

0.57

95

 

100

2.84

2.60

2.36

2.11

1.87

1.63

1.38

1.14

0.89

0.65

0.41

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

135

 

 

 

65

 

70

3.89

3.69

3.49

3.28

3.08

2.88

2.67

2.47

2.26

2.06

1.86

70

 

75

3.80

3.59

3.38

3.17

2.96

2.75

2.54

2.33

2.12

1.91

1.70

75

 

80

3.71

3.49

3.28

3.06

2.84

2.63

2.41

2.19

1.97

1.76

1.54

80

 

85

3.62

3.39

3.17

2.95

2.72

2.50

2.28

2.05

1.83

1.61

1.38

85

 

90

3.53

3.30

3.07

2.84

2.61

2.38

2.14

1.91

1.68

1.45

1.22

90

 

95

3.43

3.20

2.96

2.72

2.49

2.25

2.01

1.78

1.54

1.30

1.07

95

 

100

3.34

3.10

2.86

2.61

2.37

2.13

1.88

1.64

1.39

1.15

0.91

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

145

 

 

 

65

 

70

4.39

4.19

3.99

3.78

3.58

3.38

3.17

2.97

2.76

2.56

2.36

70

 

75

4.30

4.09

3.88

3.67

3.46

3.25

3.04

2.83

2.62

2.41

2.20

75

 

80

4.21

3.99

3.78

3.56

3.34

3.13

2.91

2.69

2.47

2.26

2.04

80

 

85

4.12

3.89

3.67

3.45

3.22

3.00

2.78

2.55

2.33

2.11

1.88

85

 

90

4.03

3.80

3.57

3.34

3.11

2.88

2.64

2.41

2.18

1.95

1.72

90

 

95

3.93

3.70

3.46

3.22

2.99

2.75

2.51

2.28

2.04

1.80

1.57

95

 

100

3.84

3.60

3.36

3.11

2.87

2.63

2.38

2.14

1.89

1.65

1.41

Assumptions used in the above calculations: 5 kg DW @ 76% K.O. = 6.58 kg LW = 7 days @ 940 g FCR: 65 - 70 @ 3.10, then increases in 0.1 increments per 5 kg weight band to reach 3.70 from 95 - 100.

N.B. These figures are for an assessment of short-term considerations only and do not take into account possible changes in fixed costs that might apply for longer term changes.

Further advice and use of a detailed “What-If?” model incorporating calculations based on grading profile and contract specification is recommended before making significant policy changes.

Topics:

Livestock Selection and carcase classification Livestock Nutrition Pork Indoor Outdoor

Sectors:

Pork

Tags:

slaughter

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