As the day of reckoning approaches for the two pigs, it’s time to see how well they’ve been growing. My usual aim is to produce pigs that weigh roughly 60kg at six months old. And while it’s still just about possible to hefting a creature of this size, I’d be doing little more than tormenting the poor piggies.
This is where, in the absence of an actual pig weighing machine, a tape measure and a calculator come in handy. All you have to do is measure the length of the pig’s body (from between the ears to the point where the tail starts) and its girth (around the body, just behind the front legs). With these measurements, you can get an estimate of the pig’s weight.
Handily, I’ve had a calculator made so you (and I) can just shove in those numbers, either in inches or centimetres, and get an estimated live weight AND carcass weight (i.e. after it’s been… emptied at the abattoir).
Interesting – this seems much more accurate than pig tape I bought recently – would have saved some mistakes. Are you killing out at 60kilo so 40ish carcass? I aim for 50 – 55 carcass weight at 7/8months old breeds.
Hi Helen
Yes, I aim for a live weight of 60kg, which works out at just a little over 40kg once the abattoir have done their deadly work. My experience with old breeds (Berkshire and British Saddleback) has been that they reach 60kg in around 6 months, so your aim for 50-55 carcass wight at 7-8 months sounds good.
All the best
Phin
Hi. Just seen your reply, so sorry hadn’t said thank you!
Good method to live pig body weight calculator but how many satisfied sir
Hi – my SB/large white cross boars are just shy of 22 weeks and according to the ‘tale of the tape’ are coming in at 72kg and 80kg. I can only measure them when they are feeding (and therefore standing still for long enough) however their heads are bent right down as they feed and I suspect significantly exaggerating the length – any tips?
I have to admit, this was something I worried about too, Paul. Like you I measured my pigs when they were feeding (pretty much the only time it was possible!) and I was concerned that the extra stretch in the neck would throw the weighing out. However, despite this, I found the results to still be accurate within about 5%. And your weight sounds about right for 22 weeks – I took my SBxBerkshire boars to 18 weeks and they weighed 60kg give or take. I hope that helps.
Hello, when you are talking carcass weight, does this include the head and offal?
Hi Malcolm. There are a several terms used for the weights as follows:
Finished or live weight: the weight of the animal when it’s alive and ready for slaughter (and therefore whole and intact).
Dead or carcass weight: refer to the weight of the animal post-slaughter.
The only difference between the two weights is that the second doesn’t include the innards – everything from the neck through to… the other end. Both include the head.
Phin
Help, I have and old– Gloucester old spot pig which we keep as a pet, ( We get/buy Weaners in to sell ) but My problem is WE CANT BELEIVE HER size !! measurements are 72″girth and 78″ back that makes Her 72 STONE !!! what are we doing wrong !! Please !! (Obviously feeding Her too much but people make joke of our home as “Welcome to PIG HEAVEN!!” )
Thank you for this. It helped me to confirm my estimation is correct. I am from Philippines and first time to raise pigs. We have 6 pigs,I am not sure of the breed. The biggest weighs 80kgs for 19 weeks while two of them have the 54 kgs while others weigh 60-65 kgs.
Thank you for your calculator! I am a little taken aback to discover the weight of two of my sows. One 3 year old GOS/ Tamworth cross sow weighs 790#!!! Using a length of baking twine, I measured from just behind her ear to the top of her tail, and then around her girth. I knotted the twine to mark the length, then laid it out on the barn floor and measured this against a tape measure. Big girl!
Good day guys, how accurate the formula? My pig heart Girth: 35 and length: 42 and the weight is 128 lbs.? I worried about it because my pig is 140 days and the size is like my 85 kgs. before. Hope you can help me guys..
Hi there
While not all pigs are equal (though some are apparently more equal than others!), in my experience the formula is accurate to within around 5%. That said, I’ve not used it for any pigs above 80kg as I take mine to the abattoir at around 6 months. Let me know how it goes!
Phin
Thank you so much for this nifty calculator, it is very helpful and easier than doing the written calculations. I have your site bookmarked and go to the calculator often!
I’ve four Duroc pigs over here in the US (Nevada) and this online calculator is really helpful! Of course, my measurements are in inches…and I’ll be heading to the butcher in about three weeks with one. The weight I’m shooting for is 250 pounds.
250lbs is a great weight! I measured mine up yesterday (in cms) and they’re 61kg & 66kg, so I’ll be taking them to the great abattoir in the sky (or rather the real abattoir up the road) in a couple of weeks. Hope yours go well.
Wondering if someone can help me please solve a puzzle? If a dressed out pig, including the head and feet and tail, less all the organs, offal and tongue, weighed 302 lbs hanging, how much do you think it weighed live? I taped him live and calculated him to be 344lbs, but I’m not sure I got an accurate measurement. I’m trying to figure out what all the insides weighed? We know the 302 lbs. is correct. Thank you!
P.S. I forgot to mention that this pig was scaled so skin was left on.
Without an accurate scale weight taken of the whole and dressed pig, it’s almost impossible to be certain of the weight of the innards as they can be anything from 10% to 30% of the total weight. If your pig was 344lbs, the innards would be somewhere between 34 and 103lbs, so your calculation of 42lb difference from taped live weight to measured hanging weight could well be right.
That’s a good-sized pig, by the way. What will you be doing with the meat?
Thanks Phin. We sold that pig and his brother. We just taped the two gilts (littermates) on Wednesday at 325 lbs. and 332 lbs. they looked identical in size. They were butchered yesterday. Scalded and scraped, feet and heads on. We sent them in for chilling only and they told me today that the carcasses weigh 260 lbs and 280 lbs. I’m really puzzled by these numbers. When I taped the gilts, I did it three times to be sure. I don’t know what to think. Maybe I should be selling them at hanging weight instead of live weight. You asked what I’ll be doing with the meat…well, I made blood sausage yesterday and tomorrow we pick up the carcasses. Two friends and I are sharing and we’ll be cutting and wrapping ourselves all weekend plus starting the prosciutto. I got my commercial refrigerator “cave” all dialed in for the salting phase of the hams.
Selling pigs or cows to be processed are generally sold by hanging weight! Just be sure when you set your price per lb, that you specify if pig is to be skinned or scrape & scalded. Hanging weight or on the rail, comprises carcass with head, skin, and feet still attached, only guts removed. Some processors only skin hogs, no equipment to scald. So ask prior to processing if they record hanging wt with skin on or not, so you don’t get shorted when you set your price. Enjoy
Phin, I am currently raising 3 pigs. All are about the same size of 152#’s according to your calculator. They are just about 16 weeks. I do not slop, I use non gmo non medicated 16% hog feed. I give them 2 1/4 pounds each of grain and all they can eat veggies. How would you say they are doing (I am doing with feed).
Hi there – As a general rule, I feed my pigs 1lb per day per month old, so at 16 weeks (4 months) they should be getting 4lb of feed each per day. I’m not sure what 152# means, though, so can’t comment on how they’re doing weight-wise. Also, it will depend very much on what breed they are.
This calculator is absolutely a helper Iam from Tanzania , my pigs live weight at 8months duroc 172kg
Hi Phin,
So I’ve raised my GOS litter to finish. Two were processed last week. They were scalded and scraped, so they then went to the meat shop for hanging and chilling. Skin, trotters and head on. I taped the night before and got 285 lbs live and 205 lbs estimated hanging weight. Actual having weight is 234 lbs. The second pig I taped at 279 lbs. live and 206 hanging and her actual having weight was 230 lbs. What am I doing wrong? If I reverse the on-line calculation, I am getting closer to actual weight, but I’m still coming up short. The length measurement seems to be the most tricky one and maybe I’m not measuring in the right place? I measure with the head in a normal walking/standing position (my pigs are very cooperative 😉
Measure the length of the animal’s body, as shown in distance A-B in the illustration. The pig must be standing or restrained in the position shown in the illustration for the calculation to be nearly accurate.
HelloCan you send me this calculation formula?
I’m Munanga from Kenya. This weight calculator has honestly awakened me. I used to purchase pigs using eye estimates. For sure I’ve made quite some losses, but now I see. Thanks Phin Hall.
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I would like to say thank you very much for this calculator I’ve used it for the past three years on my pigs while they’re eating‘s with neck stretch down and I’ve been within 20 pounds on my pigs that have have weighed in over 340 pounds life weight! I measure them every month to see where were at. We raise them until they are 7 months old. Thanks so much!
My pleasure 🙂
Using the calculator, producers can determine the target shipping weights for their hogs, based on the current grid, or the potential shipping weight, based on the target weight range of a new grid. They can also estimate the carcass weight resulting from shipping hogs at a given live weight, or determine what effect a change in DP might have on carcass weight. Use a straight edge to read across from the target carcass weight through the DP to find the target live weight.
fantastic calculator, managed to get 3 out of 5 taped today 2 measured 36″ long and 38 girth 130 lbs live and the other measured 40long and 44 girth 194 live thank you very much. Larry