Something to Think About:
A Kunekune BREEDER who manages their farm as a business has to look at costs that go into raising, breeding, and selling kunekune stock as well as quality and genetics, and current demand when pricing. A Kunekune Breeder committed to the preservation and improvement of the kunekune DOES NOT sell every piglet as breeding stock and should not price each pig/piglet the exact same - each piglet is different and can have different quality traits and pricing should reflect that. Even if a breeder does not sell kunekune for meat, they cull those that are to far from the standard and do not represent solid foundation stock. And, the time and commitment a breeder is giving to carefully select, breed and improve the lines is priceless.
Just the BASICS COSTS per piglet associated with the Sale of a weaned piglet at 9 weeks:
Litter Notification: free to $20.00
DNA: $29.00
Registration: Free to $12.00
Iron Shot: $.10
Worming: $.75
CVI for Transport: $75
Crate for Transport: $75 (medium crate)
Feed: $9 (2 - 9 weeks)
Bedding for farrowing stall: $1
My Labor costs: FREE - care of pig, marketing, contract, time with customer, time on phone, time with transporter or taking pig to airport. Not to mention care use, gas etc.
Vet & care of sow and boar: not included
Total of very basics included above: $221.85 and again, this does not cover any of my valuable time. What business do you know, that doesn't pay their labor force?
All of this goes into pricing our pigs.
How Pricing Meat Pigs Affects Breeding Prices
We sell our meat pigs for $4.50/pound and move them at around 175 pounds live (give or take). Even if you sell for less per pound do the math.
Meat Pig at 125 based on hang weight: $562
Feed to get pig to market: $200
Gross Profit for Meat Pig: $362
less labor, transport, gas, vehicles to get to market, utilities, taxes, any meds or vet, bedding etc.
Even at $4.50/pound there isn't a lot left over after expenses.
So my point in this blog post is? Look at the costs involved in breeding and care of the kunekune and price accordingly. Don't devalue the kunekune, your farm, your time, other farms and the entire kunekune market. We have a 'one of a kind' breed of swine with a very exciting future as a heritage, grass fed pork product and limited numbers and meat supply. Top breeding stock, the creme de la creme of the kunekune world SHOULD demand a higher price as should the meat that comes from them.
