ePrints

Development of a spreadsheet based financial model for pig producers considering high welfare farrowing systems

Lookup NU author(s): Yolande Seddon, Dr Philip Cain, Dr Jonathan Guy, Emerita Professor Sandra Edwards

Downloads

Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.

Abstract

This technical note describes the development of a novel spreadsheet-based financial simulation model that estimates the cost of pig production in five free-farrowing systems in comparison to standard sow housing in a farrowing crate. The model was developed to address the recognised deficiency in financial information on free-farrowing systems, and assist pig producers in estimating the cost of producing pigs in such systems. The model is available online at http://www.ncl.ac.uk/afrd/research/project/4378. Users can select from eight different types of farrowing accommodation and four gestation housing systems, with additional variations on floor type and feeding system. Input data on herd size and productivity are entered into one active sheet and, using built-in data on housing and other input costs, the model computes the cost of producing a weaner pig (8 kg at 4 weeks of age) in each gestation/farrowing system combination selected. Sensitivities to input or output changes can also be evaluated by altering herd performance. The use of this model provides pig producers, policy makers and other stakeholders with a means to estimate the likely cost of pig production prior to any investment in a new housing system. An example of the applications of the model is given in this paper. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Seddon YM, Cain PJ, Guy JH, Edwards SA

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Livestock Science

Year: 2013

Volume: 157

Issue: 1

Pages: 317-321

Print publication date: 01/10/2013

Online publication date: 03/08/2013

Acceptance date: 01/07/2013

ISSN (print): 1871-1413

ISSN (electronic): 1878-0490

Publisher: Elsevier BV

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2013.07.003

DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2013.07.003

Altmetrics

Share