Generally, if you raise pigs
efficiently, you make money. (That's why people are in the hog farming
business.) But like all agricultural commodities, the prices in the pig
market are variable. If the price of feed goes up and the price of pigs
goes down in the same year, it is impossible to make a profit from pigs.
To protect the farmer, a second source of income is needed. Worms, and
the high quality fertilizer they produce, provide this extra income
through a more stable market. The chickens, eggs and vegetables that the
project produces also help diversify income and reduce risk.
Adding worm beds to the pig house can
make the project more likely to succeed.
The following table shows the economics
of adding worms.
A report on a beta project with plans
and photos for adding worms will be forthcoming late this fall.
|
Increased Investment Cost to
Add Worms |
$750.00 |
| 115 |
Number of Days Pigs are in Pig House |
| 4.5 |
Number of pounds of manure produced each day by each pig |
| 517.5 |
Total number of pounds of manure produced by each pig |
| 120 |
Number of Pigs Per Year |
| 62,100 |
Total Pounds of Manure Each Year |
| 25% |
% of Manure Converted to Worm Casings |
| 15,525 |
Total Number of Pounds of Worm Casings per year |
| $0.20 |
Value per pound of worm casing |
| $3,105.00 |
Income from Worm Casings |
|
|
| First Year
Profit From Worms |
$2355 |
| Second Year
Profit From Worms |
$3105 |