Business End

alterna · Post by **alterna** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 11:08 am

I'm employed in the Education Business, my wife is an Administrative Assistant in another business field......neither of us are currently involved in any form of agricultural business though our home always looks like a farm....lots of animals.

I would actually like to pursue a showpig business. For those that have traveled this path before, what hints, tips, or advice are you willing to part with.

Any advice for structuring such a venture would be greatly appreciated. It is something my family and I would like to start on the side and would like to know what we basically need to do......

I am planning a trip to the CPA's office, but was hoping for some enlightenment to assist my knowledge base first.

Thanks.

Ummm · Post by **Ummm** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 1:14 pm

Well have you ever showed pigs?? have you ever raised a litter of pigs?? If not I would say go out and buy the best registeredgilt you can afford and show it and then after you are done showing it, breed it. and then if you like raising pigs, go out and buy some more sows, and start from there. I would definallty advise going around and visting hog farms so you can see how you want your place set up.

Best of luck

Darin · Post by **Darin** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 1:30 pm

Like any other business, I would begin with market research. Where will you sell the pigs? What price can you realistically expect? Who are your competitors, and what price are they getting? Is there a need in your area, or is the market already saturated? These are questions you need to get answers to, and only you can do the work necessary to learn. Talk to breeders in your area (your potential competitors), attend sales and events, question exhibitors about their source of pigs and prices paid.

Most markets are already beyond the saturation point, so you must realize that every pig you sell for true market price, whether as a feeder pig or market hog, is one you will lose a significant amount of money on. If you can line up some very strong potential clients before you even put semen in an animal, you'll be ahead of the game. If you simply purchase gilts, breed and farrow them, and advertise to sell pigs, you are probably looking at a few years of significant losses to get established.

Piggy · Post by **Piggy** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 10:42 pm

I would have to add that it takes MANY years of experience to know what kind of breeding stock to buy and how to breed for the judges of the day and what the trend is. No one can get into this overnight and become a success I don't think. It takes a lot of learning, lot of luck and a lot of money before you turn your first dollar of profit. Good luck.

CHOPSTER · Post by **CHOPSTER** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 11:24 pm

i would make sure that when you do purchase your first females that they are the absolute best you can afford. most of the successful breeders can trace their herd back to one or two sows. so spending a little more up front will actually save you money in the long run otherwise it might take several generations to achieve the quality of female that is required to generate winning show stock. start small and build your herd slowly. there is alot to learn. A WHOLE LOT.

alterna · Post by **alterna** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 5:38 pm

We've been showing pigs for the last 3 years and we've fallen in love with it.
I've had anywhere from 2 to 15 hogs on feed at any given time.
We have not been very successful at it, but most of the hog jocks around here that know me and have watched would attest that I've always done the best with the genetics that I started with.
I've got one very impressive gilt that has what I believe is a strong pedigree.....she's awesome. I've got another that you wouldn't give a nickle for. I plan to breed both....
My philosophy is this, it takes a great deal of time to build a reputation for producing good show pigs if in fact I can get to the point where I can raise good show pigs. So, I'm not in a hurry. I'm a firm believer in paying your dues, force my own kids to do so. I'm breeding both to see what I can see. Seriously plan on just loosing my A__ __ for the next very long time. It's really more a labor of love than a business venture. Just looking for all the advice I can get.....from those who know.

jdt44402003 · Post by **jdt44402003** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 9:45 pm

Ive just started building a hog barn today to do the same thing.

CHOPSTER · Post by **CHOPSTER** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 11:16 pm

alterna i'm in the same boat as you are. my first litters start in a week. i didn't start trying to raise show pigs to make money. pigs have become my passion and the best family activity we have endevoured. and i hope by raising them i will learn more about them. i feel that watching them develope from birth to show weight will make me better at selecting weanling pigs. i still have three kids showing so i'll still be purchasing some of our show pigs. if we raise a few that are good enough to show, that great. if i raise a few that i can sell, that's icing on the cake. i also will have about 16 one feed at any one time so my wallet sympothizes with you. i can't imagine the excitement felt watching one of my sons in the champion drive with a pig we raised.

Darin · Post by **Darin** » Sun Mar 23, 2008 9:49 am

See, now that's what I like about this website. Finding people with a passion for raising pigs and kids. Love your stories guys!

trivswine · Post by **trivswine** » Sun Mar 23, 2008 9:10 pm

Alterna, choppster I will give you my 2 cents for what its worth. You can often p/u some good genetics by buying pigs that people are through showing. In the past I have p/u some really nice gilts for a pick of the litter. Just something you might want to consider.

hampy622 · Post by **hampy622** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 8:49 am

I think the biggest thing is waiting until you have the means to do it right the first time. Save your money up and get the best gilts you can. The end of august would be a great time to find some good breeding pieces at a lower cost. I would also go to a big breeder that you like and have a close relationship with him someone you can trust who you can ask questions when you have them and they can help you out. Dont go into this half hearted because you will lose your butt or spend years and years trying to breed out the bad genetics you bought in the beginning. good luck with you new business hopefully you will be very successfull. Just remember all this big time breeders were just like you at one point.

RobsShowHogs · Post by **RobsShowHogs** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 9:44 am

I, like the others on this site, don't do it to make a huge profit. I just really enjoy it. The best piece of advice on here I think is to have proper facilities and good hogs to start with. I know what it was like to have crap facilities but it makes a huge difference. Having a "plan" is also very helpful. have an idea of what you want to do, and where you want to go with this. If all you want is the fun of raising pigs - thats fantastic. I think that's what most of us do.

Darin · Post by **Darin** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 11:54 am

Good point about the facilities. Good facilities will be equally as important as good genetics, good nutrition and good health.

Don't underestimate the importance of good health. You DO NOT want to begin with a herd that is positive for PRRS or APP and if you can find myco.-free, that would be a plus as well.

showtime1 · Post by **showtime1** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 11:32 pm

Ive always been told "Its easier to buy one than raise one" and i have found that that is true but i have to say its alot more fun to raise a champion than buy one.

Best of Luck to you

drw · Post by **drw** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 5:31 pm

I'd suggest that you start small. Farrowing isn't everyone's cup of tea. It's better to find that out with one or two gilts than after you've spent $15,000 on a farrowing/nursery building.
Genetics, feeding and showmanship produce champions. Facilities don't. I would direct early resources toward genetics rather than facilities. For farrowing, you need a clean, warm, dry place that has adequate ventilation, but isn't drafty. That can be an old tool shed, chicken coop or other retrofitted structure. You can build better facilities later.
Get the best gilts you can reasonably afford and mate them to a boar that will compliment them. Describe your gilts to the folks at the boar stud. They can suggest boars that might work. Remember also that the most expensive boar isn't always the best. Boar studs want to recover as much of a boar's purchase price as they can before the first pigs hit the ground (in case they're duds). If you want to "swing for the fence" by spending more money on a boar, look for an older boar whose price has remained the same or gone up.
As other posts suggest, you can probably buy quality show pigs cheaper than you can raise them on a small scale. However, there is a lot of satisfaction in breeding and raising a pig that wins. A.I. has leveled the playing field. You can produce pigs that can compete.
Breeding pigs has not been profitable for us, but has provided a common interest for our family. Our older boys always go to the farrowing house when they visit and provide an honest (sometimes brutally honest) assessment of our latest crop. They have all learned to work. I can guarantee any employer that no matter what job they give my boys, I have had them doing something worse.