2nd UPDATE: Pic of pig inside. So, who owns or has owned a pig?

[Imaginer]

Fixed that for you. It's almost like a charity, where a lot of the farmers/ranchers/friends of the family, etc., pay WAY more than the animal is really worth, to help the kids out, particularly since the amount of feed and care put in to the animal otherwise wouldn't have a prayer of breaking even. So, if someone's seeing dollar signs, and thinking, "hey, the conversion ratio for pigs is about 3 or 4 to 1 (for every 3 to 4 pounds of feed they consume, they gain 1 pound. For chickens, it's about 1.5 to 1, and for cattle, it's upwards of 10 to 1), so to raise the pig to 250 pounds, it'll take about 800 pounds of feed. At $16 per hundred pounds of feed, that's $128 per pig = $12,000 for 100 pigs. And if I sell them at $3k each, Wow, I make a quarter of a million dollars in 5 months!"
That, unfortunately, is simply not true. Market weight is about 250 pounds. At $5k for that pig, you're already at $20 per pound. Factor in that less than 3/4 of the weight is going to be meat, you're looking at nearly $28 per pound, PLUS butchering costs. If you're thinking, "but what if the pig gets to $400 pounds?" The answer is that you'll get less money per pound, because it's going to be much higher in fat. I've seen 600 pound pigs go for well under a dollar per pound at auction.

Can it also be offset in selling manure the animals produce?

 

[JEDI]

having children is in itself a money-losing proposition, I don't see why having a pig should change that

but you cant sell children...

 

[WelshBloke]

Those things are so expensive! When I was living in the country I really wanted a midget cow. But for a decent looking one, they were ridiculous.

Wait... mini cows are a thing?

but you cant sell children...

Particularly for bacon.

 

[rudeguy]

Wait... mini cows are a thing?

http://www.minicattlecountry.com/page7.html

 

[WelshBloke]

http://www.minicattlecountry.com/page7.html

Thats really cute but how big do the buggers get when they are full grown?

 

[Brigandier]

Pigs and bottle-fed goats are the coolest farm animals.

 

[WelshBloke]

Pigs and bottle-fed goats are the coolest farm animals.

Lamas are better.

If only because you can call yourself a Lama Farmer.

 

[rudeguy]

Thats really cute but how big do the buggers get when they are full grown?

that one's ad said 45"

I could have sworn I saw one with horns before but I couldn't find any when I searched. Those ones look cool.

 

[Brigandier]

Lamas are better.


If only because you can call yourself a Lama Farmer.

Too territorial for my tastes.

 

[WelshBloke]

that one's ad said 45"

I could have sworn I saw one with horns before but I couldn't find any when I searched. Those ones look cool.

Cool thats just over a meter, one of those with horns would indeed be excellent. I'm picturing a little version of a highland cattle.

 

[WelshBloke]

Too territorial for my tastes.

Yeah, but Lama Farma!

What a job title.

 

[Brigandier]

Yeah, but Lama Farma!

What a job title.

"Llama Farmer, it whips the llama's ass!"?

 

[WelshBloke]

"Llama Farmer, it whips the llama's ass!"?

Being Welsh I have to leave one of the Ls out. It gets too messy when I pronounce it with both.

 

[CPA]

We've gone over this before, I actually live in "Katy" - you just refuse to meet me for a beer.

LOL. Oooops. i'm horrible with names and apparently forum names, as well.

 

[CPA]

but you cant sell children...

True and believe me I've tried. No one wants my kids.

 

[Brigandier]

Being Welsh I have to leave one of the Ls out. It gets too messy when I pronounce it with both.

Don't fret, the purpose of language is to communicate; as long as you get your point across, all is good.

 

[WelshBloke]

Don't fret, the purpose of language is to communicate; as long as you get your point across, all is good.

"The purpose of language is to communicate not give the other person a shower." is how they phrased it as well. :'(

 

[rudeguy]

just for the record:

alpaca > pig > llama > goat

 

[OutHouse]

Sure we can, but if it makes it to the main auction, we will not be in the running. If he doesn't make the main auction, he will be put up for sale at the rodeo barn and anyone can buy him at a low price.

I'm seriously thinking of trying to get him, but I know my youngest boy is already skittish about the thoughts of eating him and I'm not sure my daughter will enjoy it, even though she knows this is an investment not a pet.

the fat stock show near me has business on site to slaughter the animal and custom butchering. to slaughter a pig they charged 40 bucks and then about 100 for processing.

goats were cheaper and cows a bit more expensive.

one stop shopping.. lol

 

[WelshBloke]

Cool thats just over a meter, one of those with horns would indeed be excellent. I'm picturing a little version of a highland cattle.

Win!

 

[OutHouse]

We've gone over this before, I actually live in "Katy" - you just refuse to meet me for a beer.

shame on you CPA.

 

[BladeVenom]

Wait... mini cows are a thing?

A miniature bull can still get up to a 1,000 pounds.

 

[WelshBloke]

A miniature bull can still get up to a 1,000 pounds.

Yeah, thats not so mini.

 

[OrByte]

for FFA my daughter is going to raise a guide dog

yellow lab

"guide dogs for the blind" group is looking for volunteer families to raise lab puppies for the program. Its awesome. After 15 months the puppies go off to puppy college where they learn to be guide dogs for blind people.

I'd rather do that than raise a pig.

We have options on our ranch though...we could have chosen to raise rabbits, chickens, or alpacas.

We have em all

My friends daughter is raising a pig for FFA....no thank you.