Can you make money by pig farming?
Can you make money by pig farming? Pig farming would not be the big industry it is today if it was not a profitable business. But though factory farms do earn lots of money, it comes with a lot of disadvantages like environmental pollution and violation of animal rights. Instead, if you are planning on raising pigs on your small farm or homestead, you may be wondering if the venture is profitable enough. Can you make money by pig farming? Yes, pig farming is profitable, but you have to manage the farm well and control your expenditure.
Raising pigs is not ideal for everyone. Because pig farming requires a reasonable amount of capital, most of which goes for infrastructure and fencing. It also needs time and expertise on how to raise pigs and when to slaughter them.
Pig farming can be a profession or it can be a business. If you are a pig farmer taking care of pigs that are not your own, then your average salary in the United States can be $64,170. Salaries range from $33,110 to $113,140 depending on the number of pigs you raise and the area in which you live. But if you are pig farming as a business, your profit depends on the money you earn minus the costs incurred.
How much money can you make pig farming?
The profit you earn from each pig depends on many factors. In the United States, they can generate a profit of around $300-$500 per pig. The price also depends on whether you are selling the pig as meat or as breeding stock. There is a high demand for pig meat both fresh and processed.
A pound of pork is usually sold for between $2 and $4 per pound. Market swine usually produce 55% of meat after butchering and processing. In the worst circumstances, they have at least 40% flesh in their carcasses. An average pig that weighs 265 pounds will yield about 146 pounds of meat. Pig flesh without processing can be valued at roughly $511.
Pig farming is a profitable business as the production cost is low compared to other types of livestock farming. Pig farming is popular around the world due to its high-profit percentage. Please refer to my article on the cost of starting a pig farm to calculate your total cost.
The cost of raising a pig is dependent on factors like the cost of your pig, the cost of your feed, the cost of butchering, and how much you can sell your pig meat for in your area. This is not considering initial costs for your fencing, infrastructure, and other start-up costs.
You may not want to compromise on the cost of your pigs by buying low-quality pigs, because low-quality pigs will cost you more in the end. Buying high-quality pigs will cost you more, but they become bigger faster and are sturdier compared to low-quality pigs that take longer to grow after a certain point.
The cost of feeding a pig for most farmers depends on the price of a bag of commercial pig feed. But pigs are versatile and will eat almost from vegetable scraps to grass and other animals. It will even eat human beings, but don’t go feeding them people.
Making your own feed can be a cheaper option for you especially if you have many pigs. Pigs are big eaters and need lots of food, so the cheaper the feed, the higher your profit. Pigs can be fattened easily and are efficient feed converters. A pig weighing 70kg can sell for up to $300.
Selling pigs for meat is not the only way to earn money from pig farming. You can also use their dung to produce fertilizers. In addition, pig fat is popular in the soap and paint manufacturing industries.
You could also try organic pig farming. Organic pigs are more popular and sell for a price premium over regular pigs. If you follow regulations for organic farming well, your farm is bound to earn a good reputation and a healthy customer base.
One of the reasons why pig farming is highly profitable is that they reproduce exceptionally quickly. One female can give birth to 8-18 pigs at a time and twice a year. These pigs can grow to a market size of 150lbs within six months and each can be sold for $300 per piglet.
Can you make money by pig farming? A Summary
Can you make money by pig farming? The profit from a pig from selling its meat alone can be an average of $500. In addition, you can make money from its manure, from selling its fat, and also by selling piglets. Pig farming is profitable if managed properly and given that you don’t have the additional expense of renting land and minus the initial cost of starting the farm. Please refer to my article on the cost of starting a pig farm for more information.
