Enter revenue from selling your pig and your total raising cost to calculate net profit, profit margin, and breakeven price per pound.
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Pig Profit Formula
The following formula is used to calculate the estimated profit from selling a pig.
P = TR - TC
- Where P is the pig profit ($)
- TR is the total revenue generated from selling the pig ($)
- TC is the total cost to raise the pig ($)
Revenue by Selling Channel
USDA-reported average live-weight hog prices: $63.41/cwt in 2024, estimated $68.58/cwt in 2025, with a 2026 forecast of $67/cwt. Direct-to-consumer channels yield far higher per-pound revenue but require dressing, processing, and handling costs that do not apply to live sales.
| Channel | Typical Price | Yield Basis | Revenue (280 lb pig) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commodity live (USDA 2024-25 avg) | $63-$69/cwt | Live weight | $176-$193 |
| Local live / farm gate | $0.90-$1.50/lb | Live weight | $252-$420 |
| Direct to consumer (hanging weight) | $3.50-$5.50/lb | ~202 lb (72% dress) | $707-$1,111 |
| Direct to consumer (packaged cuts) | $6-$12/lb | ~152 lb (75% cut yield) | $912-$1,824 |
Typical Cost Breakdown Per Pig
Feed represents 60-70% of total raising costs. Small-farm and backyard operators typically pay retail feed prices versus bulk commodity rates, creating a significant cost disadvantage on commodity live-market sales.
| Cost Item | Small Farm / Backyard | Commercial |
|---|---|---|
| Feeder pig (~50 lb weaned) | $75-$200 | $45-$80 |
| Feed (600-800 lb, FCR 3.0-3.5) | $150-$350 | $110-$200 |
| Veterinary and medications | $50-$100 | $15-$40 |
| Bedding | $30-$80 | $10-$25 |
| Processing (direct sale only) | $200-$450 | N/A |
| Other (hauling, labor, overhead) | $50-$150 | $20-$50 |
| Total (excl. processing) | $355-$880 | $200-$395 |
How to Calculate Pig Profit
Example: A 280 lb market hog at $0.90/lb live generates $252 in revenue. With total raising costs of $210 (feeder pig $80, feed $95, vet and bedding $35), net profit is $42, a 16.7% margin, with a breakeven of $0.75/lb. At $1.20/lb the same cost structure yields $336 revenue and $126 profit (37.5% margin), illustrating how price-sensitive pig margins are at small-farm scale.
Key Performance Benchmarks
US finisher pig FCR averages 3.28 kg feed per kg of gain, ranging from 2.18 to 5.91 across operations (USDA/PubMed). A 10% drop in live hog prices can cut margins by half when feed costs run at 65% of revenue. Heritage breeds such as Yorkshire average 2.5:1 FCR but require climate control; Duroc averages 2.8:1 and typically commands an $18-$22 per-pig premium from marbling quality.
| Metric | Typical Range | Commercial Target |
|---|---|---|
| Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) | 2.18-5.91 (mean 3.28) | <2.8 |
| Average Daily Gain (ADG) | 1.4-2.2 lb/day | >1.8 lb/day |
| Days to market (50 to 280 lb) | 115-165 days | <130 days |
| Feed cost as % of revenue (live sale) | 45-80% | <55% |
| Net margin (commodity live sale) | -10% to +20% | >12% |
| Dressing percentage | 70-75% | 72-74% |
