Economics

FACTORS AFFECTING THE PRODUCTIVITY OF PIGS

EFFICIENCY FACTORS

The following Efficiency Factors are based on averages and they are a useful guide to the performance of a farmer’s pig enterprise.

Litters per sow in 1 year	2.2
Live pigs per litter – born	10
weaned	8
Pigs weaned per sow in 1 year	18
Weaner mass – at 6 weeks	12kg
at 8 weeks	18kg
Creep feed per weaner	20kg
Food per weaner, including sow and boar	10 kg
Food consumed to bacon	30 kg
Food conversion to bacon kg meal/ kg Live Mass Gain (L.M.G).	3 – 1
Days to bacon weight	165

The factors affecting the productivity of a pig enterprise are shown below:

FACTORS AFFECTING THE GROSS OUTPUT

In pig production the price received for the finished pig is related very closely to the weight of the pig. Pigs for slaughter are graded carefully into porkers, baconers and overmass pigs, and the weight limits and prices are adjusted accordingly.

GRADING

Good grades are vital in bacon production and 80% Grade 1, 15% Grade 2 and 5% Grade 3 is a reasonable standard. Grading is based on Cold Dressed Mass, the ‘K’ measurement in mm and fat measurement taken at the shoulder and rump. For a bacon pig of 65kg C.D.M., the difference between Grade 1 and Grade 3 is 8% which is the difference between profit and loss.

‘K’ MEASUREMENT

People today, prefer lean pork and bacon rashers with only a small amount of fat over the lean meat. Payments for pork and bacon pigs are higher for lean carcasses than they are for those carrying a lot of fat.

During the grading of bacon and pork pig carcasses, the fat thickness is measured at a point above the ‘eye’ muscle; this is known as the ‘K’ measurement, and is expressed in millimetres. The ‘K’ measurement is taken by an instrument called an optical probe, the point of which is inserted at right angles to the skin at the measuring points shown in the diagrams above.

In addition to measuring the fat thickness, bacon carcasses are assessed by visual inspection. Thin, unfleshed pigs are classed as inferior regardless of their ‘K’ measurement. Porkers having poorly developed hams are downgraded, and any baconer having soft and oily fat is graded as a manufacturing pig because such a carcass is unsuitable for curing as bacon.

These rather exacting standards for the grading of pigs can be met only by feeding a properly balanced cereal/protein ration and by good management. Bacon pigs are slaughtered before they have finished growing, and the farmer must aim to keep his pigs growing evenly so that they suffer no setbacks.

As with other forms of livestock enterprise, the gross output for a pig enterprise is calculated by means of the Livestock Trading Account and detailed records should be kept of all receipts and input costs.

FACTORS AFFECTING THE VARIABLE COSTS

The main factor affecting the variable costs of a pig herd is food, since 70% – 80% of the costs of producing a bacon pig is the cost of its food. In the later stages of growth, food has to be rationed to bacon pigs in order to keep down costs and to ensure good grades. Overfeeding is costly because the pigs eat more than they really need, and are then down-graded because of excessive fat on the carcass. The cost of the meal depends on the protein levels fed, the value used for any home grown maize in the ration, and other factors such as getting the best discounts on food purchased from merchants. The conversion rates of pigs in the herd, the amount of food required to put on 1 kg of live-mass gain, can be improved by good breeding policies and the use of performance tested boars in the herd.

Average Variable Costs for a pig herd, on a percentage of total costs basis, are shown in the table below.

Variable Costs, percentage of total:	%
Feed: Creep feed and concentrate	38
Feed: Maize 40t 300kg	34
Veterinary and Medicines	2
Labour	10
Registrations	1
Water	3
Electricity	1
Transport	3
Building Repairs	2
Sundries	3
Depreciation on pig buildings	3
Total	100