Break-Even Price Calculator
Example Calculations
Two scenarios — a standard commercial hybrid batch with comfortable margins, and a higher-cost native pig situation where the breakeven sits closer to the market price. Includes full margin scenario tables at five price points.
Example 1 of 2
Standard Commercial Setup — 50 Hybrid Pigs, Comfortable Margins
A medium-scale commercial farm raising 50 Commercial Hybrid pigs to 100 kg market weight. Feed cost is estimated automatically by the calculator based on breed. This scenario typically represents a well-managed operation with costs squarely below the Philippine live market range of ₱185–₱200/kg.
Inputs
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Piglet cost | ₱3,500 per head |
| Feed cost | Auto-estimated from breed (Commercial Hybrid) |
| Breed | Commercial Hybrid |
| Starting weight | 10 kg |
| Medicine / vaccines | ₱300 per head (default) |
| Other costs (labour, utilities) | ₱500 per head (default) |
| Target weight | 100 kg |
| Head count | 50 pigs |
| Mortality | 5% |
Results
| Result | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-estimated feed cost | ~₱8,000/pig | Breed FCR × commercial stage prices |
| Total cost per pig | ~₱12,300 | Piglet + feed + medicine + other |
| Surviving pigs | 47–48 heads | 5% of 50 = 2.5 pigs lost |
| Total cost per surviving pig | ~₱12,947 | Batch cost ÷ survivors |
| Break-even price | ~₱129.47/kg | Cost per survivor ÷ 100 kg target weight |
| Market comparison | Well below ₱185–₱200 range | ₱55+ margin to market floor |
| Total batch cost | ~₱615,000 | ₱12,300 × 50 pigs |
Margin at 5 price points
| Market Price | Revenue/pig | Profit/pig | Margin | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ₱150/kg | ₱15,000 | +₱2,053 | +13.7% | Profit |
| ₱170/kg | ₱17,000 | +₱4,053 | +23.8% | Profit |
| ₱185/kg | ₱18,500 | +₱5,553 | +30.0% | Profit |
| ₱200/kg | ₱20,000 | +₱7,053 | +35.3% | Profit |
| ₱210/kg | ₱21,000 | +₱8,053 | +38.3% | Profit |
What this means
At a breakeven of ₱129.47/kg, this operation is profitable at every realistic market price — even at ₱150/kg (a depressed price). The ₱55/kg cushion below the normal market floor of ₱185/kg is the key metric: it means prices would have to collapse by more than 30% from current levels before this farm loses money on feed, piglet, and basic costs.
At the typical market price of ₱185/kg, profit per surviving pig is ₱5,553. For 47–48 surviving pigs, total batch profit is roughly ₱261,000–₱266,000 — this is before tax, loan interest, and owner labour. At ₱200/kg (the upper end of normal), profit rises to over ₱330,000 per batch.
Bisaya / Cebuano
Ang usa ka commercial hybrid farm nga adunay 50 ka baboy (target: 100 kg, ₱3,500 piglet, auto-estimated feed) adunay break-even price nga ₱129.47/kg. Nagpasabot kana nga: bisan pag mokanaog ang presyo sa ₱130/kg, dili pa ka malugi sa pangunahing gastos.
Sa kasagarang presyo sa merkado (₱185–₱200/kg), ang tubo matag nabuhi nga baboy mao ₱5,553–₱7,053. Para sa tibuok batch (47–48 ka nabuhi), mao na halos ₱260,000–₱330,000.
Kining klase sa margin maayo kaayo para sa commercial hybrid. Apan ayaw kalimot sa utang, interes, ug imong trabaho — kinahanglan nimo og dako pa ang margin para makabayad niana.
How to use this on your farm
- Enter your real feed cost instead of auto-estimate: If you know your actual total feed spend per pig (e.g. ₱9,500 for a high-input operation), enter it manually. The auto-estimate is a starting point, not a guarantee.
- Adjust “other costs” for your situation: The ₱500 default covers basic labour and utilities. If you hire workers or pay for water and electricity, your real other costs may be ₱1,000–₱2,000/pig — raising breakeven by ₱10–₱20/kg.
- Lower mortality to 2% (good biosecurity): Saving 1.5 more pigs reduces the cost spread to survivors, dropping breakeven by ~₱3/kg.
Example 2 of 2
Higher-Cost Situation — Native Pig, Small Batch, Tight Margins
A smallholder raises 8 native pigs to 80 kg (lechon market) with an expensive piglet source and manually-entered feed cost. This scenario shows how quickly breakeven climbs when input costs are higher and target weight is lower — and why knowing your numbers before you start matters.
Inputs
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Piglet cost | ₱4,500 per head (premium native piglet) |
| Total feed cost | ₱7,200 per head (manually entered — mixed feeding, ~161 days) |
| Medicine / vaccines | ₱350 per head |
| Other costs | ₱800 per head (hired labour for small operation) |
| Target weight | 80 kg (lechon market) |
| Head count | 8 pigs |
| Mortality | 5% |
Results
| Result | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Total cost per pig | ₱12,850 | Piglet + feed + medicine + other |
| Surviving pigs | ~7–8 heads | 5% of 8 = 0.4 pigs (rounds to 8 effectively) |
| Total cost per surviving pig | ~₱13,519 | Spread of 1 mortality across survivors |
| Break-even price | ~₱168.99/kg | Cost per survivor ÷ 80 kg target weight |
| Market comparison | Within ₱185–₱200 range | ₱16 margin to the ₱185 market floor |
| Total batch cost | ~₱102,800 | ₱12,850 × 8 pigs |
Margin at 5 price points
| Market Price | Revenue/pig | Profit/pig | Margin | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ₱150/kg | ₱12,000 | −₱1,519 | −12.7% | Loss |
| ₱170/kg | ₱13,600 | +₱81 | +0.6% | Profit |
| ₱185/kg | ₱14,800 | +₱1,281 | +8.7% | Profit |
| ₱200/kg | ₱16,000 | +₱2,481 | +15.5% | Profit |
| ₱210/kg | ₱16,800 | +₱3,281 | +19.5% | Profit |
What this means
The breakeven of ₱168.99/kg sits inside the Philippine live market range (₱185–₱200/kg) — only ₱16 below the floor. This is a danger zone. If market prices dip to ₱150/kg (which happens during gluts, holidays, or when a large commercial farm dumps supply), this operation loses ₱1,519 per pig and ₱10,633 for the batch.
At ₱170/kg — just ₱1 above breakeven — the margin is only ₱81/pig. One unexpected veterinary cost wipes that out. The realistic profitable scenario starts at ₱185/kg, where profit is ₱1,281/pig (₱8,967 for 7 surviving pigs) — workable but thin for a 5-month commitment.
The core problem is the combination of: (1) high piglet cost (₱4,500 vs the ₱3,000–₱3,500 typical range), (2) lower target weight (80 kg instead of 100 kg divides fixed costs over fewer kg), and (3) higher labour cost. Reducing any one of these improves the picture significantly.
Bisaya / Cebuano
Ang usa ka smallholder nga nagtamod og 8 ka native nga baboy (80 kg target, ₱4,500 piglet, ₱7,200 feed) adunay break-even price nga ₱168.99/kg. Mao kana ang minimum nga presyo sa pagbaligya para dili malugi.
Ang problema: ₱169/kg hapit-hapit sa minimum nga presyo sa merkado (₱185/kg). Kon moubos ang presyo ngadto sa ₱150/kg (pwede mahitabo kung dako ang suplay), malugi kag ₱1,519 matag baboy — o ₱10,633 para sa tibuok batch.
Para mapahimong mas maayo ang situasyon:
- Pangitag mas baratong piglet (₱3,000 imbes ₱4,500) — makapababa sa breakeven og halos ₱18/kg.
- Padakoa ang target weight sa 100 kg — ang parehas nga fixed costs mapanaog sa mas daghang kilo, mao ang breakeven mobaba.
How to use this on your farm
- Source cheaper piglets: Reducing piglet cost from ₱4,500 to ₱3,000 lowers breakeven by ~₱18.75/kg — from ₱169 to ₱150. That one change transforms the margin table: even at ₱150/kg you break even.
- Target 100 kg instead of 80 kg: Finisher feed is cheapest (₱28/kg vs ₱38/kg starter). Growing to 100 kg adds more weight at lower cost per kg, spreading fixed costs over 25% more saleable meat.
- Track lechon vs live market prices separately: Native pigs often sell for premium prices (₱220–₱280/kg dressed) at the lechon market, especially during fiestas. If you have a direct buyer, your effective price may be much higher than the live weight benchmark.
- Reduce “other costs”: ₱800/pig for a batch of 8 is ₱6,400 in labour and utilities. If this is a family operation using existing infrastructure, actual cash outlay may be ₱200–₱300/pig — cutting breakeven by ₱6–₱8/kg.
Find your break-even price
Enter your real piglet cost, feed spend, and target weight to see the minimum price you need to sell at — before you commit to a batch.
Open the Break-Even Calculator →