Definition: Breakeven is the sale price (or price per pound) at which project revenue covers every dollar spent — animal, feed, vet, entry, equipment, and transport.
Formula: project cost = purchase + feed + other expenses; breakeven $/lb = project cost ÷ expected sale weight.
Worked example: Purchase $350 + feed $220 + other $80 = $650 project cost. Sale weight 260 lb → breakeven ≈ $2.50/lb. Below that, the project loses money on paper (still valuable for education).
What judges and parents both want to see
- Complete expense categories, not a single “feed” lump at the end of July.
- Honest purchase price and sale weight assumptions.
- Reflection: what you would change next season to improve efficiency.
Budget feed with the feed cost estimator. Build the book with the record book checklist and species feed guides like show pig feed budget.
Next step: Start free expense tracking the day you buy the animal.