PARAMETER COMPARISONS IN THREE SITE PRODUCTION
The 1996 Iowa State University Swine Enterprise Records Summary provides an opportunity to make various cost and production parameter comparisons among weaned pig production, the nursery operation and the finishing operation. In Table 1 I have assembled those parameters that were listed in each of the three production site summaries. According to information supplied by Dr. Tom Baas, Iowa State University Specialist, the average weaning age in the 51 farms for which breeding-to-weaning data is available was approximately 21-22 days. Also, the average weight of the feeder pigs going into the finishing floors was 51 lbs.

Comparisons such as this provide an opportunity to evaluate labor and capital needs of each farm or stage of swine production. Land requirements are really not shown, but these could be estimated based on pounds of pork produced. Also, management skill requirements are not reflected. One should assume, however, that in these data, management was appropriate for that stage of production.


1996 Iowa State University Swine Business Record State Summaries
Bred to Wean
51 Operations
Wean to Feeder
42 Operations
Feeder to Finish
42 Operations
Total Pounds of Feed per Cwt of Pork Produced, Lb
679
192
338
Feed Cost per Cwt of Pork Produced, $
$61.69
$29.92
$29.67
Other Oper. Cost (except Hired Labor)/Cwt Pork Produced,$
$29.02
$8.58
$2.95
Utilities, Fuel Elec. & Telephone/Cwt, $
$8.43
$3.26
$0.78
Veterinary Services & Medicine per Cwt, $
$8.37
$2.30
$0.51
Depreciation, Taxes & Ins. Costs per Cwt of Pork Produced, $
$10.01
$3.78
$1.62
Capital Charge on Fixed Capital/Cwt of Pork Produced, $
$5.23
$2.39
$0.84
Capital Charge on Operating Capital/Cwt of Pork Produced, $
$3.03
$0.68
$0.95
Value of Labor (All) per Cwt of Pork Produced, $
$21.54
$5.47
$2.08
Total Cost per Cwt of Pork Produced, $
$129.59
$50.29
$38.12
Average Cost of Diets per Cwt, $
$9.10
$15.79
$8.76
Hours of Labor per Cwt of Pork Produced, Hours
2.49
0.60
0.24
Cost of Feed Additives & Drugs/Cwt of Pork Produced, $
$1.93
$1.67
$1.06

Charles Stanislaw

Return to Home Page!Return to MARK Home Page