2013 Whole Hog Processing Cost Analysis

I thought I had written out our beef and pork breakdowns for the last couple of years, but obviously I haven't as I can't find them on the blog!  I want to have them to compare from year to year so I'm going to type this one up today and add the others when I find the box they are buried in....  Lots of unpacking left to do here!

This pig was processed at Country Pride Meats in Clinton, WI.  The owners also raise the hogs and we ordered during a March special when it was $1.75/pound based on hanging weight and that included the slaughter charge, smoking and all other fees.  We didn't have them do any other special brats or things that would have caused there to be additional fees. 

Hanging weight 166 pounds

Processed meat
4 ham (they were cut in half) 19 pounds
4 ham steak (cut to 1/2") 4 pounds
4 hock 7.5 pounds
2 spare rib 6 pounds
2 country rib 8 pounds
4 shoulder roast 14 pounds
8 pork steak 8 pounds
2 loin roast 8.5 pounds
14 pork chop 12.5 pounds
7 bacon 7 pounds
1 ends 2 pounds
14 breakfast sausage 14 pounds
1 jowl 1 pound
1 fat 5 pounds

Total weight (without fat) 111.5 pounds  67% conversion from hanging weight  $2.61/pound
Total weight (with fat)  116.5 pounds  70% conversion from hanging weight  $2.49/pound

I believe these numbers are similar to what we saw with our pig from Cedar Road Meats.  However I did not have them include liver, which would have added weight and lowered the price/pound.  We also have enjoyed the bacon from Country Pride more than we did from Cedar Road Meat.  We haven't tried the ham yet, but are hopeful we'll like it more too.  The pigs were raised by local (to them) farms, were not pastured, but the feed was raised on the farm and they do no hormones or antibiotics unless treating a sick animal.  Since we now live right by Country Pride we'll be doing pork from them from here on out.  The beef will depend as the grass fed beef farmer that we order from takes the animals to Cedar Road.  We LOVE the meat and it is processed really well, so we may be doing the very, very long trek if we don't find a local grass fed beef farmer.