Efficiency of Niche Pork Production in 2006

Production of niche pork has been expanding in response to increased demand. Little information is known about production efficiency of niche pork. This report provides information on production efficiency from 41 niche pork producers. The average female breeding herd size was 91 females. The average feed efficiency was 4.31 pounds of feed per pound of pork produced. The average feed efficiency for the top 15 herds was 3.74 and it was 4.25 for the bottom 15 herds. Average labor use was .87 hours per hundred pounds of pork produced. About one of every four pigs born alive died before weaning. Another eight percent died from weaning to market. Breeding herd death loss was in the 4 to 6 percent range. The information summarized here shows striking production differences in many areas between the top 15 and bottom 15 producers. The areas with the largest differences are places with the most potential to help producers improve. Educational programming that targets these areas is being developed to help these producers make changes to improve their operations, which in turn will improve the position of this sector of the industry

Returns and Costs of Niche Pork Production in 2008

Information is provided on the return, cost and financial efficiency for niche pork production. Information from 18 niche pork producers is included in the analysis. Return levels showed that the average return to capital, unpaid labor and management return to capital, unpaid labor and management for the top 6 producers was $5.23 per hundred pounds of pork produced, while this average was -$10.68 for the bottom 6 producers and -$3.80 for all 18 producers. The average margin over all costs on a per head sold basis showed a large loss ($-52.89 for the average producer). The average return per hour of labor after all costs was -$12.36 for all 18 producers, but$9.23 per hour for the top 6 producers and -$9.82 for the bottom 6 producers. The average total cost per hundred pounds of pork produced for all producers was$81.40, while the top third (6) had average total costs that were $32.43 less than the bottom 6 producers ($66.52 vs $98.75). Production costs increased by about 21 percent over the 2007 level. The main contributor to cost differences between the top third and bottom third producers was operating costs, which included feed and other operating expenses and labor costs. These costs represented the majority of the total cost difference and were about equally split between the two; operating costs (feed and other) and labor costs. The information summarized here shows striking differences in many areas between the top 6 and bottom 6 producers. The areas with the largest differences are places with the most potential to help producers improve. Educational programming that targets these areas is being developed to help these producers make changes to improve their operations, which in turn will improve the position of this sector of the industry

Growth Performance and Ultrasonic Scan of Purebred Berkshire Pigs Housed in Hoop Buildings in Iowa (Trials 3 and 4)

A certified Berkshire program continues to lead niche pork production markets based on its meat quality advantage over commodity-based pork. This economic advantage is especially valuable for smaller, more traditional pork producers. The disadvantages of Berkshire pigs are fatter carcasses, slower gains, and less efficient feed conversion compared with commodity pork production. Consequently, these pigs are often a better fit for less intensive or lower production systems

Growth Rate and Feed Intake of Purebred Berkshire Pigs Housed in Hoop Buildings in Iowa

Berkshire pigs make up the majority of the niche market pig population, and although niche pork production has increased across Iowa and the United States and demand continues for high quality pork there remains a lack of production standards for niche pork producers to benchmark their performance against. The Berkshire pigs in our previous studies grew faster and were more efficient in feed conversion than expected. Therefore the objective of this study was to replicate our earlier work, and add to the database of niche pork production. For this group of Berkshire pigs, growth rate was better than earlier research reports, but less than our previous trial. Feed conversions (feed-to-gain) were also better than earlier research but similar to last year’s report. Barrows grew faster and consumed more feed, but gilts were more efficient converting feed to gain. Although seasonal feed intakes differ for both sexes, growth rates were similar within gilts and barrows