Masters Theses

Date of Award

3-1974

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Animal Husbandry

Major Professor

Haley Jamison

Committee Members

J. B. McLaren, Robert R. Shrode

Abstract

Records from 3,293 pens (99,014 pigs) sold in the Sevierville demonstrational feeder pig sales from 1961 through 1972 were studied to evaluate the effects of grade, average weight per pen, pen size, month and year of sale on the average price received per hundredweight and per head for the feeder pigs sold. The data in Analysis I and II were for the period May 20, 1961, through March 30, 1970, in which average weight per pen was 54.47 pounds, average number of pigs per pen was 24.79, with average prices per hundredweight and per head of $30.08 and $15.71, respectively. Data in Analysis III and IV were for the period April 1, 1970, through December 30, 1972, in which average weight per pen was 53.21 pounds, average number of pigs per pen was 35.12, with an average price of $31.81 per hundredweight and $16.11 per head. There were highly significant differences among years in prices received for feeder pigs per hundredweight and per head as expected. Grade of pig had a highly significant effect on price per hundred weight and per head received for feeder pigs in all analyses. In Analysis I, grade 1 pigs sold for $1.26 more per hundredweight and $0.93 per head more than grade 2 pigs, for $2.99 more per hundredweight and $1.47 per head more than grade 3 pigs and for $5.29 more per hundredweight and $2.73 per head more than grade 4 pigs. The inclusion of average number of pigs per pen in Analysis II as a continuous variable did not influence the magnitude of the least squares grade means. In Analysis III, grades 1 and 2 pigs combined sold for $9.73 more per hundredweight and $4.16 per head more than grade 5 pigs, for $5.71 more per hundredweight and $2.33 per head more than grade 4 pigs, and for $1.72 more per hundredweight and $0.85 more per head more than grade 3 pigs. The comparisons in Analysis IV showed about the same differences as Analysis III. Therefore, the inclusion of average number of pigs per pen as a continuous variable, as in Analysis I and II, did not influence the magnitude of the least-squares grade means. Month of sale had a significant effect on price received per hundredweight and per head. Analyses I and II indicated that the highest prices were received during April and October; whereas, in Analyses III and IV prices were highest in April and May. The lowest price received in Analyses I and II was during January, which also was the lowest-price month in Analyses III and IV. There was a definite price advantage per hundredweight and per head for pigs selling in larger pens. Analysis I indicated pigs sold in pens of 41-50, 121-,30, 141-150, and 151-160 sold for more per hundred weight than any other pen-size classification; but pen size had no significant (P < .05) effect on price received per head although pigs in pens of 141-150 did bring more per head than any other pen-size classification. In Analysis III, pen size had a significant (P < .05) effect on price both per hundredweight and per head. The pigs in pens of 181-190, 151-160, and 131-140 sold for more per hundredweight and per head than any other pen-size classification. Price differences due to differences in average weight per pen were highly significant (P < .01) in all analyses. When price per hundredweight was regressed on average weight per pen with all other sources of variation held constant, these data indicated that as average weight per pen increased, price per hundredweight decreased. When price per head was regressed on average weight per pen, as average weight increased so did average price per head. These data indicated lightweight pigs sell for more per hundredweight; however, with every pound increase in average weight, price per head increased $0.18. Thus selling lightweight pigs is undesirable, provided the cost of gain is less than $0.18 per pound.

Download
Files over 3MB may be slow to open. For best results, right-click and select "save as..."

Share

COinS