Economic aspects of seasonal outdoor pig production under current and future political conditions

The economic aspects of Swiss outdoor pig production integrated with crop rotation have been studied for the first time, including costs for rearing, breeding and fattening. The required working time per animal per day was 2,7, 15,6 and 2,3 man minutes during the rearing, the outdoor breeding and the fattening period, respectively. In the trial years 2003 and 2004 the average gross margin, including contributions, was CHF 31 per outdoor breeding sow and CHF 41 per outdoor fattening pig. The production costs of piglet rearing (Ø weaning weight 26,1 kg) and for fattening the outdoor pigs amounted to CHF 7,20 per kg live weight and to CHF 5,25 per kg slaughter weight respectively. The key factors for successful outdoor breeding and outdoor fattening are the number of piglets weaned and the price obtained for fattened pigs. Direct marketing in a label programme is therefore recommended. A comparison of three agricultural production branches shows that, per ha per year, the working time required for outdoor pigs was slightly lower than for potato growing, but 4,7 times higher than for wheat cultivation. The gross margin for outdoor pigs, including subsidies, was CHF 38 per man hour, i.e. 40 % more than for potatoes. Once the Swiss Agricultural Policy 2011 is implemented, the gross margin calculated for the model “5 breeding sows plus 40 pigs fattened per ha per year” is 18 % lower than in 2003/04, but the gross margin relative to arable crops will remain unchanged.