Pig Feed & Cost Calculator
Figure out how much feed, money, and time it takes to raise a pig for meat. Get your total cost and the cost per pound of finished pork based on weights, feed price, and feed conversion.
How It Works
Raising a pig for meat is one of the most efficient ways to produce pork on a homestead. The biggest expense by far is feed. This calculator estimates how much feed your pigs will eat, the total cost from piglet to freezer, and the true cost per pound of finished meat.
Understanding Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR)
FCR is how many pounds of feed a pig needs to gain one pound of body weight. Modern commercial pigs convert at 2.5–2.8 lbs of feed per pound of gain. Homestead pigs that get pasture, scraps, or move around more typically run 3.0–3.5. Heritage breeds and older pigs can be 3.5–4.0. The lower the FCR, the more efficient the pig.
How Much Meat Do You Actually Get?
A 260-lb live pig yields roughly:
Hanging weight: ~187 lbs (72% of live) — this is what the butcher weighs after slaughter and gutting.
Retail cuts: ~116–120 lbs (62% of hanging, or ~45% of live) — boneless, wrapped, ready for the freezer. Bones, skin, and trim are removed (some of which can be used for stock or lard).
Tips for Reducing Cost
Pasture and forage: Good pasture, dairy byproducts, and kitchen scraps can cut feed costs by 10–25%. Pigs are excellent foragers.
Buy feed in bulk: A ton of bagged feed costs significantly more than the same feed bought in bulk. Many feed mills sell 50-lb bags or will deliver by the ton.
Don't overfinish: Past 280 lbs, pigs put on more fat than muscle and feed efficiency drops. Process at 250–280 lbs for the best cost-per-pound.
Raise more at once: Pigs compete less and grow better with company. Raising 2–4 pigs together spreads fixed costs (processing, setup) and lets you buy feed in larger quantities.