B and B pigs

[jimmer]

Who is doing it please ?

 

[Lofty1984]

@DieselRob @B&B Pig Man was

 

[DieselRob]

I've got 350 on for a neighbouring farm, not professional scale, what's your question?

 

[jimmer]

can it work small scale taking them to 75-80kg

 

[Bury the Trash]

can it work small scale taking them to 75-80kg

depends what you call small scale because its a numbers game really like everything else.
Good access for lorries and good unloading/loading facilities ...concrete ramp is best for loading ime. and sheltered from the wind.
overall your costs need to be low.... well just like everything else

having said that i havnt done it for 20 yrs or so .. best time for it ime was in the mid eighties to mid 90's ir. happy days.

 

[tomg]

We have 5600 7-35kg think the smallest yard they go into after us is about 400. I don't think the companies would be fussed about anything much smaller. 400 can be filled in 1 load and emptied in 2. Might depend on your location as well. There is certainly demand out there for fat yards.

 

[TripleSix]

If you've a spare shed with a concrete floor.
Your own straw and a borehole for water then yes it'll be ok.

 

[Elj]

What’s the going rate for 7/100 LG’s, freedom foods red tractor standard, 1800 places?
Elj

 

[Brynner300]

What’s the going rate for 7/100 LG’s, freedom foods red tractor standard, 1800 places?
Elj

As in build cost? Work on anywhere between £16-20 per pig place i would say, depending on how much you do yourself etc.

 

[franklin]

Would like to see a new build for 16 per place. Even if I did everything myself including forge the steel.

 

[browny88]

Is there anybody on here who’s gone from breeding and finishing their own pigs to B&B for somebody else?

We have the facilities and the experience but we only know arable farmers who have b&b from no pigs at all so not a good comparison.

 

[Newby]

Is there anybody on here who’s gone from breeding and finishing their own pigs to B&B for somebody else?

We have the facilities and the experience but we only know arable farmers who have b&b from no pigs at all so not a good comparison.

I've been to view a unit that was set up as an older farrow to finish unit, the owner converted the whole to 35kg to finish at considerable cost to go on contract with BQP, and to cut a long story short the unit it now for sale after only having 3 batches go through, with the owner quoting there's not enough in it when all's said and done, I think B&B suits arable units better than specialist pig producers.

 

[browny88]

I've been to view a unit that was set up as an older farrow to finish unit, the owner converted the whole to 35kg to finish at considerable cost to go on contract with BQP, and to cut a long story short the unit it now for sale after only having 3 batches go through, with the owner quoting there's not enough in it when all's said and done, I think B&B suits arable units better than specialist pig producers.

Interesting. Did he have the benefit of muck for straw deals, bore holes for water etc?

Trouble for us is we’re sort of in a transitional period where we either need to upgrade our farrowing facilities, turn it into weaner accommodation or sack it off completely! there is also our grower 20-35kg ish phase shed that is causing us more manual work than it’s worth at the moment and needs a new roof sooner rather than later.

So there’s investment to go in regardless but it’s debatable wether my brother and I want to carry on working ourselves to an early grave like dad is doing his best to do to himself!

We have feed bins, automatic feeders, slurry store, muck for straw deals, bore hole, Boiler on RHI heating the weaner accommodation and I can’t help but feel taking weaners and taking them right through to finishing them would give us so much more time for all the other things we are doing. It’s the serving of sows, farrowing, weaning, washing out etc that takes all our time.
Also not taking any risk on sows returning or laying on piglets or just being crap mothers.

 

[Newby]

Interesting. Did he have the benefit of muck for straw deals, bore holes for water etc?

Trouble for us is we’re sort of in a transitional period where we either need to upgrade our farrowing facilities, there is also a 35kg ish phase shed that is causing us more manual work than it’s worth at the moment and needs a new roof sooner rather than later.

So there’s investment to go in regardless but it’s debatable wether my brother and I want to carry on working ourselves to an early grave like dad is doing his best to do to himself!

We have feed bins, automatic feeders, slurry store, muck for straw deals, bore hole, Boiler on RHI heating the weaner accommodation and I can’t help but feel taking weaners and taking them right through to finishing them would give us so much more time for all the other things we are doing. It’s the serving of sows, farrowing, weaning, washing out etc that takes all our time.
Also not taking any risk on sows returning or laying on piglets or just being crap mothers.

His situation sounds very similar to yours, older buildings requiring modernisation, he had a muck for straw deal with arable man next door and a borehole. His lad just turned 18 and doesn't want to farm, too much work to do on his own but not enough money to employ a stockman.

 

[tomg]

We were a breeding unit, 650 outdoor sows. We couldn't get any decent staff and a few bad winters where my dad started to stuggle with his legs. We were contract breeders and the company we were on for were looking for nursery accommodation so we made the decision to pack up breeding.
All our accommodation was in good order but would have needed replacing in the next couple of years. As it was tidy all our kit sold well.
We now have 5600 weaners on to 40 kg. Most are outside but 2000 are in sheds.
It's not as an interesting job (my dad finds it boring) but it is a lot easier and the only time we really need help is when power washing all the kit down.
Companies are always desperate for finisher accommodation and not so much nursery.

 

[snarling bee]

As in build cost? Work on anywhere between £16-20 per pig place i would say, depending on how much you do yourself etc.

Times 10 at least for new build.

 

[RWG Contracts]

Times 10 at least for new build.

How much??? Do you want to come qs for me please

 

[JP1]

How much??? Do you want to come qs for me please

He's right too

 

[RWG Contracts]

He's right too

How? What fancy stuff do B&B pigs need?

 

[JP1]

How? What fancy stuff do B&B pigs need?

Feed system. Muck midden. Side curtains. Penning. Feeders. Drinkers. Pressurised water system with header tank / airbreak. Gates. Concrete panels. Intermediate removable panels for early stages. Two dunging passages. Medication lines.


You can also add through gates in the lying areas, roof insulation, ridge ventilation fans and chimneys if you want to go higher spec and a good few do