Costs, Returns, Production and Financial Efficiency of Niche Pork Production in 2006

This report provides a summary of the costs, returns, and production and financial performance for participating niche pork producer s for the year 2006. There were 41 niche pork farrow-to-finish producers who completed records fo r 2006. Five of these were certified organic producers, four were purebred Berkshire producers, and 32 were ‘natural’ producers, meaning their pigs were raised without antibiotics using bedded pens with outdoor access. An initial evaluation of the data showed th at the average production efficien cies were similar between the organic, purebred Berkshire and other operations . Thus, all are combined for this analysis

Costs, Returns, Production and Financial Efficiency of Niche Pork Production in 2008

In recent years the production of niche pork has been expanding in response to growing demand for products with specific attributes, such as pork from animals produced without antibiotics, using bedded pens and with outdoor access. This growth has occurred, in many situations, from the ground up. Entrepreneurial producers have identified unmet market demands and opportunities for new products. These producers then set out to develop products to satisfy this demand and marketing systems to get these niche products to the consumer

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 2006

Production of niche pork has been expanding in response to growing demand. Little information is known about the costs and returns from niche pork production. This report provides information on cost and returns for 41 niche pork producers. Return levels show that the average return to capital, unpaid labor and management for the top 15 producers was $17.43 per hundred pounds of pork produced, while this average was$2.17 for the bottom 15 producers and $10.08 for all 41 producers. The average margin over all costs on a per head sold basis was slightly below breakeven (-$2.36) for all 41 producers. The average return per hour of labor after all costs was $13.17 for all 41 producers, but$22.66 per hour for the top 15 producers and $3.02 for the bottom 15 producers. The average total cost per hundred pounds of pork produced for all producers was$52.05, while the top 15 third had average total costs that were $11.17 less than the bottom 15 producers ($46.05 vs. $57.22). The main contributor to cost differences between the top third and bottom third producers was operating costs, which included feed and other operating expenses but not labor. These costs represented 96 percent of the total cost difference, with 56 percent of this difference being in other operating costs and 40 percent in feed costs

Efficiency of Niche Pork Production in 2007

Information is provided on pig production efficiency for niche pork production. Information from 27 niche pork producers is included in the analysis. The average female breeding herd size was 81 females. The average feed efficiency was 4.42 pounds of feed per pound of production, although the average for the top 9 herds was 3.78 and the average for the bottom 9 herds was 5.24. Average labor use was 1.01 hours per hundred pounds of pork produced. About one of every four pigs born alive died before weaning. Another 13 percent died from weaning to market. Breeding herd death loss was in the 4 to 12 percent range. The information summarized here shows striking differences in many areas between the top 9 and bottom 9 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