The amount of meat you can get from a 250-pound pig is approximately 144 pounds of retail cuts. As this is just 57% of the original pig’s weight, you might be wondering what happens to the other 43%.
Well, during slaughter and dressing, around 28% of a pig’s weight is removed because it is considered inedible. This includes the internal organs, hair and blood. This leaves 180 lbs.
Once the 250-pound pig carcass is sanitarily dressed, it is placed into a cooler where it is hung on a rail so it can be chilled. Once the carcass is chilled, it is then cut into retail cuts. Through bone dust, boning, fat trimming, grinding and moisture loss, this eliminates a further 20% of weight, which brings the final weight of the pig down to 144 lbs.
How a 250 Pound Pig is Divided Up
A 250-pound pig is typically divided up into eleven categories of retail cuts. While a 250-pound will give you 23 lbs of bacon, this isn’t actually what most of a pig’s carcass is turned into.
In order of weight, a 250-pound pig is typically divided up as follows:
Fresh Hams (28 lbs)
- Fresh Ham
- Cured & Smoked Ham
- Ham Steaks
- Ham Hocks
Pork Loin (23 lbs)
- Country-Style Ribs
- Pork Chops
- Center Cut Pork Loin Chops
- Center Cut Pork Rib Chops
- Boneless Pork Loin Roast
- Pork Tenderloins
- Boneless Butterfly Pork Chops
- “Baby” Back Ribs
Fresh Side Bacon (23 lbs)
- Fresh Side
- Salt Pork
- Smoked Bacon
Back Fat (23 lbs)
- Lard
Fresh Picnic (12 lbs)
- Fresh Picnic
- Pork Shoulder
- Smoked Picnic
- Smoked Hocks
Boston Butt (9 lbs)
- Pork Steak
- Boston Butt Roast
- Smoked Shoulder Bacon
Miscellaneous Trim (9 lbs)
- Breakfast Sausage
Spareribs (6 lbs)
- Spareribs
Head (5 lbs)
- Head
Feet (5 lbs)
- Pigs Feet
Jowl (3 lbs)
- Smoked Jowl
- Breakfast Sausage
How Much is a 250 lb Pig Worth?
The typical cost of a whole hog is $6.00 per pound and $6.50 per pound for a half hog. As we know that a 250 pound pig gives approximately 144 pounds of retail cuts, a 250-pound pig is worth $864.