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Estimating Live Weights

This document provides instructions for estimating the live weight of pigs using only a measuring tape. [1] It outlines how to measure the heart girth and length of a pig in inches or meters and then use those measurements in a formula to calculate the pig's approximate weight in either pounds or kilograms. [2] An example calculation is provided. [3] The procedure is reported to estimate weight accurately within 3% without needing specialized weighing equipment.

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480 views2 pages

Estimating Live Weights

This document provides instructions for estimating the live weight of pigs using only a measuring tape. [1] It outlines how to measure the heart girth and length of a pig in inches or meters and then use those measurements in a formula to calculate the pig's approximate weight in either pounds or kilograms. [2] An example calculation is provided. [3] The procedure is reported to estimate weight accurately within 3% without needing specialized weighing equipment.

Uploaded by

dennis jay paglinawan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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INFORMATION SHEET No. 4.

5-2
Estimating Live Weights

Learning Objectives:
After reading this INFORMATION SHEET, YOU MUST be able to:

1. determine the optimum market weight for a group of pigs;


2. estimate the number of pigs in each weight range;
3. identify proper weight to sell pigs.

Allotted time: 40 minutes

The most accurate way to measure the weight of a pig is to use a


specialist pig weigh. However, these can be expensive and if you only have a
few pigs to weigh and a high degree of accuracy is not necessarily needed, we
explain how to obtain a good estimate of a pig’s weight using only a measuring
tape and a calculator.

IMPERIAL - Weight of your pig in POUNDS

1. Obtain a fabric measuring tape or a piece of string to use as a measure. If


using string, mark the dimensions on the string and then measure the
dimensions using a steel tape measure.
2. Place the tape/string under the pig just behind the front legs and measure
the circumference of the pig’s girth in inches. This measurement is known
as the Heart Girth
3. Then measure the Length of the pig along its back from the base of its ears
to the base of its tail, again in inches.
4. To calculate the pig’s weight, first square the Heart Girth to get the Girth
Result.
5. Now Multiply the Girth Result by the Length and DIVIDE by 400.
6. You now have the weight of your pig in Pounds.

Example:

 Porky Pig has a Heart Girth of 50 inches and a Length of 40 inches.


 Squaring the Heart Girth (50 x 50) = 2500 = Girth Result
 Multiply the Girth Result (2500) by the Length (40) and divide by 400 =
250 Pounds.
METRIC VERSION - Weight of your pig in KILOGRAMMES

1. Use the same procedure as above taking your measurement in Meters.


Then use the following formula.
2. Square the Heart Girth to get the Girth Result.
3. Now Multiply the Girth Result by the Length and MULTIPLY by 69.3
4. You now have the weight of your pig in Kg.

Example:

 Porky Pig has a Heart Girth of 1.27 meters and a Length of 1.02 meters.
 Squaring the Heart Girth (1.27 x 1.27) = 1.6129 = Girth Result
 Multiply the Girth Result (1.6129) by the Length (1.02) and MULTIPLY by
69.3 = 114 Kg.

This procedure is reported to be accurate to within 3%.

CONVERSIONS

Alternatively use either procedure and convert the result to your chosen units.

To convert KILOGRAMMES to POUNDS multiply by 2.2.


To convert POUNDS to KILOGRAMMES multiply by 0.455.

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