Pork Carcass Breakdown Weights

HOG CARCASS BREAKDOWN

With a market weight of 250 pounds and yield of 73.6 percent, the typical hog will a produce a 184-pound carcass. The carcass will yield approximately 140 pounds of pork and 44 pounds of skin, fat, and bone.

Ham - 45 pounds, 24 percent of the carcass
25.5 pounds of cured ham, 2.3 pounds of fresh ham, 5.8 pounds of trimmings and 11.4 pounds of skin, fat, and bone

Side (Belly) - 34.9 pounds, 19 percent of the carcass
19 pounds of cured bacon, 5.8 pounds of spareribs, 9.1 pounds of trimmings and 1 pound of fat

Loins - 33.8 pounds, 18 percent of the carcass
3.2 pounds of backribs, 10.7 pounds of boneless loin, 7.6 pounds of country-style ribs, 5.7 pounds of sirloin roast, 1.6 pounds of tenderloin, 1.6 pounds of trimmings and 3.4 pounds of fat and bone

Picnic - 16.6 pounds, 9 percent of the carcass
12.6 pounds of boneless picnic meat and 4 pounds of skin, fat, and bone

Boston Butt - 14.7 pounds, 8 percent of the carcass
4.4 pounds of blade steaks, 7.8 pounds of blade roast, 1.7 pounds of trimmings and 0.8 pounds of fat

Miscellaneous - 39.2 pounds, 22 percent of the carcass
15.4 pounds of jowls, feet, tail, neck bones, etc., 22 pounds of skin, fat, and bone and 1.8 pounds of shrink and miscellaneous loss

Source: National Pork Producers Council