6 Best Floor Livestock Scales For Pigs On a Homesteader’s Budget

Ever tried to "eyeball" a pig’s weight? You stand there, squinting, trying to guess if that feeder pig is 150 pounds or closer to 180. That 30-pound difference isn’t just a number; it’s weeks of feed, the right moment to process, and money in or out of your pocket. On a homestead, where every dollar and every bag of feed counts, guessing is a luxury we can’t afford.

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Why Accurate Pig Weights Matter on the Homestead

Knowing your pig’s exact weight is the cornerstone of efficient animal husbandry. It’s all about feed conversion. A growing pig has very specific protein and energy needs, and feeding for the wrong weight means you’re either wasting expensive feed or short-changing their growth.

Regular weigh-ins are also your first line of defense for animal health. A pig that stops gaining or, worse, loses weight is a pig with a problem. Catching that subtle drop on the scale lets you intervene with a dewormer or a vet call weeks before you’d notice the physical decline. It’s proactive, not reactive.

Finally, accurate weights are about market timing. Whether you’re selling weaners, feeder pigs, or a finished hog, your price is determined by weight. Bringing an animal to the processor at 230 pounds instead of the target 280 is a significant loss of meat for your freezer and profit for your farm. A scale turns that critical decision from a guess into a data-driven choice.

VEVOR 440lb Platform Scale for Weaners & Gilts

If you’re just starting with a couple of feeder pigs, a massive, expensive scale is overkill. The VEVOR 440lb platform scale is a fantastic entry point. It’s affordable, lightweight, and gives you the core data you need for pigs up to about 400 pounds.

This scale is perfect for tracking the rapid growth of weaners and young gilts. Its portability means you can easily set it up in a pen or alleyway for quick weigh-ins without a permanent installation. The simple digital readout is easy to use and typically runs on batteries, so you don’t need to be near an outlet.

The tradeoff is its limitation. This scale is not for finisher hogs or mature breeding stock. Once your pigs cross that 400-pound mark, you’ve outgrown it. The platform can also be a bit small, so you’ll need to get your pigs comfortable with stepping onto and standing still on a compact surface. Think of it as the perfect starter tool to learn the ropes of livestock management.

SellEton SL-915-4×4: Heavy-Duty Durability

When you move beyond raising just a couple of pigs for the freezer, you need equipment that can keep up. The SellEton SL-915 series represents a serious step up in durability. These are typically 4-foot by 4-foot steel platforms built to handle the abuse of full-grown hogs.

With a capacity often reaching 5,000 pounds, you’ll never worry about maxing it out with a large boar or sow. The diamond plate steel surface provides excellent traction, which is crucial for preventing slips and injuries, especially on a wet day. This isn’t a scale you move around; it’s a permanent piece of your farm’s infrastructure.

This durability comes at a higher price point and a loss of portability. You’ll need to dedicate a level, solid spot for it, often in a central working area or chute system. It’s an investment for the homesteader who has committed to raising pigs for the long haul and needs equipment that will last for decades, not just a few seasons.

A&A Scales AP-2000: A Portable Weighing Solution

The A&A Scales AP-2000 strikes a great balance between capacity and convenience. It often features a 2,000-pound capacity, which is more than enough for finisher hogs, but it’s built on a frame that is significantly lighter than the heavy-duty stationary models. Many versions even come with wheels and a handle.

This portability is its superpower. You can wheel the scale right to the pen instead of trying to herd a stubborn hog across the barnyard to a fixed weigh station. This flexibility reduces animal stress and saves you an incredible amount of time and frustration, especially if you’re working alone.

Of course, there’s a compromise. The lighter frame, while convenient, may not withstand the same level of abuse as a solid, stationary scale. The wheels and handle are more points of potential failure over time. It’s a fantastic choice for a rotating pasture setup or for homesteaders whose infrastructure isn’t built around a central working chute.

Prime Scales PS-4400HD for Large Hog Operations

Don’t let the "Large Hog Operations" part scare you off. For a homesteader raising a dozen or more pigs a year, or specializing in large heritage breeds like a Gloucestershire Old Spot, efficiency is key. The Prime Scales PS-4400HD is a heavy-duty tool that brings that efficiency. Its high capacity (often 4,000+ lbs) and large platform provide peace of mind.

The real advantage of scales in this class is the quality of the digital indicator. They almost always include a reliable "animal weighing" or "hold" function. This feature is critical. It takes several readings in a few seconds, averages them out, and locks the accurate weight on the screen, even as the pig shifts its weight and moves around.

This is a higher-cost option, no question. But if your homestead is also a business, the investment can be justified. The accuracy ensures you’re not giving away pounds at market, and the efficiency of a quick, stable reading saves you time and labor with every animal you weigh.

Brecknell PS1000: Low-Profile for Easy Access

One of the biggest challenges of weighing livestock is simply getting them onto the scale. Pigs are naturally wary of stepping up onto strange objects. The Brecknell PS1000 solves this with its low-profile design, sitting just a couple of inches off the ground.

This small detail makes a huge difference. Pigs are far more likely to walk onto a low platform without balking, which means less stress for them and less work for you. You can often weigh an animal without needing an elaborate chute system, just a couple of panels to guide them on. It streamlines the entire process.

With a 1,000-pound capacity, the PS1000 is a perfect middle-ground for the typical homesteader. It can handle your biggest finisher hogs and most sows without issue. It combines a thoughtful, animal-centric design with the capacity and durability needed for small-farm life.

Cardinal Scale E-Z LBS Load Bars: DIY Scale Kit

For the homesteader who loves a good project, load bars are the ultimate solution. You aren’t buying a scale; you’re buying the electronic heart of one. The Cardinal E-Z LBS Load Bars are two heavy-duty steel bars with sensors inside, which you place under a platform you build yourself.

The advantage is total customization on a budget. You can build a small plywood platform for weaners or a full-blown 8-foot-long aluminum chute for your entire herd. You control the size, the materials, and the final cost. It’s the most adaptable and often the most affordable way to get a high-capacity scale.

The catch is that you have to build it, and build it well. The platform must be rigid and level, or your readings will be inaccurate. This option requires basic carpentry or welding skills and a bit of planning. But if you have the skills, you can build a system perfectly tailored to your farm for a fraction of the cost of a pre-made scale.

Key Features for Your Homestead Livestock Scale

When you’re comparing scales, a few key features make all the difference. Don’t just look at the price tag. Look at the specifications that will impact your day-to-day work.

• Capacity: This is the most obvious feature. Buy a scale that can handle the heaviest animal you plan to own. If you have a 700-pound boar, a 500-pound capacity scale is useless. Always plan for your biggest animal.
• Platform Size & Surface: The platform should be large enough for the animal to stand on comfortably with all four feet. A non-slip surface, like diamond plate steel or a ribbed rubber mat, is a non-negotiable safety feature.
• The "Hold" Function: This is arguably the most important feature on the digital indicator. Pigs don’t stand still. An animal weighing or "hold" function captures the weight of a moving animal and locks it in, giving you an accurate reading instead of a bouncing, unusable number.
• Durability: Your scale will live in a tough environment of mud, manure, and moisture. Look for powder-coated steel construction and a sealed indicator to protect the electronics. Consider if you need a portable unit you can store indoors or a heavy-duty one that can live outside.

A livestock scale isn’t just another piece of equipment; it’s a management tool that provides critical data. It transforms your animal husbandry from guesswork to a precise, resource-efficient operation. Whether you choose a budget starter model or build your own, the investment pays for itself in feed savings, better animal health, and maximizing the return on your hard work.