Bed & Breakfast Pigs

[FarmerBruce]

I’m just in early negotiations to fill an 80x45 with weaners, 14kg to 30kg then gone, RSPCA Freedom foods stocking rates, will hold just over 500 he tells me. What would be good rate per head or by month for the shed?

£12k per year

 

[livestock 1]

Doesn’t so like a lot but could you earn any more feeding cattle in there?

 

[Full of bull(s)]

Doesn’t so like a lot but could you earn any more feeding cattle in there?

At that size they won’t smell or use much straw. Loads at the back to bury themselves in but if they only stay for 5 weeks it will be clean when they go and be chucked in the bulls when I muck out. Straw for muck arrangement there should be easily £9k left with no risk/outlay. No brainer at that. Shut down with Tb so less and less cattle on, I think it’s time to have more income streams going forward. It’s less than 20% of my shed space

 

[adda]

At that size they won’t smell or use much straw. Loads at the back to bury themselves in but if they only stay for 5 weeks it will be clean when they go and be chucked in the bulls when I muck out. Straw for muck arrangement there should be easily £9k left with no risk/outlay. No brainer at that. Shut down with Tb so less and less cattle on, I think it’s time to have more income streams going forward. It’s less than 20% of my shed space







I drive lorry taking pigs from b&b places nearly all new sheds put up for the job around mid Wales and the borders and ever body seems happy with the job there is one lad on here which I pick up from I'm not going to name or tag him as it is up too him to comment about it there is about 900 to 1000 in each shed thay come in straight of the sow and about 15 weeks latter have there first pull by 20 weeks the shed is empty some times within a week shed is full again after a wash out

 

[ollie989898]

What sort of infrastructure do you need for these B and B pigs? I presume they are taken in as weaners and taken to finish in batches? Would a concrete floored straw barn with panels slotted in be enough? Throw straw in and grub in every day, dig out and stockpile when they are gone?

 

[Spud]

What sort of infrastructure do you need for these B and B pigs? I presume they are taken in as weaners and taken to finish in batches? Would a concrete floored straw barn with panels slotted in be enough? Throw straw in and grub in every day, dig out and stockpile when they are gone?

Depends on the pig provider. We're on stores to bacon, some people are weaners to stores, some stores to bacon.
But yes, nowt fancy, particularly for finishing. You'll need a feed bin and water tank, and some drinkers too.

 

[FarmerBruce]

What sort of infrastructure do you need for these B and B pigs? I presume they are taken in as weaners and taken to finish in batches? Would a concrete floored straw barn with panels slotted in be enough? Throw straw in and grub in every day, dig out and stockpile when they are gone?

Exactly this

 

[unlacedgecko]

I’m just in early negotiations to fill an 80x45 with weaners, 14kg to 30kg then gone, RSPCA Freedom foods stocking rates, will hold just over 500 he tells me. What would be good rate per head or by month for the shed?

30kg is 3 hd per m². 45p per head per week is what I got 3yrs ago

 

[JP1]

That sounds a very tight stocking rate?

Sounds right

 

[ollie989898]

Exactly this

How does the economics of it work out, you don't own the pigs at any stage and you just throw in the company's feed? Your straw goes in and comes out as very nice fertiliser?

 

[unlacedgecko]

How does the economics of it work out, you don't own the pigs at any stage and you just throw in the company's feed? Your straw goes in and comes out as very nice fertiliser?

Yes.

The main benefit to b&b pigs is turning straw into shite. And it's good cashflow if you have easily converted redundant buildings.

 

[Bwcho]

Are any parts of the country less desirable than others? Would it work in West Wales? Who do you approach? Do you need much previous experience with pigs?

 

[ploughman1963]

Are any parts of the country less desirable than others? Would it work in West Wales? Who do you approach? Do you need much previous experience with pigs?

The cost of straw in that area would be a concern?
We were a new build 3 years ago on welsh border- we have our own straw. New build would be non-starter now due to no chance of planning and cost of new build having jumped up.

 

[Suffolk Serf]

Are any parts of the country less desirable than others? Would it work in West Wales? Who do you approach? Do you need much previous experience with pigs?

the cost of haulage of feed in and pigs out would be factors against West Wales- the distance from mono gastric feed mills and pig abattoirs.

 

[FarmerBruce]

How does the economics of it work out, you don't own the pigs at any stage and you just throw in the company's feed? Your straw goes in and comes out as very nice fertiliser?

Yep. Farmer provides straw water labour and buildings, and Also the feed and water troughs. The pig company provides everything else. Some take weaners through to bacon. Others take weaners through to stores (45kg) then move the pigs to another unit for finishing!

 

[Bwcho]

the cost of haulage of feed in and pigs out would be factors against West Wales- the distance from mono gastric feed mills and pig abattoirs.

Thank you. I did wonder if this would have been cost prohibitive, especially on a small scale.

 

[tomg]

Sounds right

O.4sqm/ weaners on a straw based system? Were double that allowance and they can still look tight 9 weeks later

 

[JP1]

O.4sqm/ weaners on a straw based system? Were double that allowance and they can still look tight 9 weeks later

Not on straw, scarped passage yes

 

[tomg]

Not on straw, scarped passage yes

So 100x50 shed on a scrape through, a third has to be scrape passage. Leave 315sqm for a lying area. 0.315sqm/pig still sounds to tight to me. Might be ok up to 30kgs but pigs are always 40kg+ at 9 weeks

 

[JP1]

So 100x50 shed on a scrape through, a third has to be scrape passage. Leave 315sqm for a lying area. 0.315sqm/pig still sounds to tight to me. Might be ok up to 30kgs but pigs are always 40kg+ at 9 weeks

It's all laid out in the codes

Pig up to 110kg would be 0.8m2/pig 15m x 30m = 450m2 / 0.8 = 562 in theory

Not got the codes in from of me but 0.4m2 stops at 35kg from memory then 0.5m2

Most B&B companies 7-110kg set stock but if you're a grow out you have to stock within m2 allowances (and allow for minimum 1:10 ratio on adlib feed spaces and drinking nipples