6 Best Pig Scales For Beginners on a Budget
Our guide to the 6 best budget pig scales for beginners. We compare top models on accuracy, durability, and price to help you make the right choice.
You can’t manage what you don’t measure, and nowhere is that truer than with livestock. Guessing a pig’s weight by "eyeballing it" is a recipe for wasting feed, miscalculating dosages, and missing your market window. A reliable scale is one of the most important data-gathering tools you can own, turning guesswork into informed decisions.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases. Thank you!
Why Accurate Pig Weights Matter on a Small Farm
Knowing your pig’s weight isn’t about vanity; it’s about economics and animal welfare. The single biggest cost in raising pigs is feed. Tracking weight gain allows you to calculate their feed conversion ratio—how many pounds of feed it takes to create one pound of pig. This number tells you if your feeding program is working or if you’re just throwing expensive grain away.
Consistent weigh-ins are also your best early-warning system for health issues. A pig that stops gaining weight or, worse, starts losing it, is often the first sign of illness or parasites. Catching that drop on a scale gives you a head start on diagnosis and treatment long before more obvious symptoms appear.
Finally, accuracy is critical for management. Medications and dewormers are dosed by body weight; getting it wrong can be ineffective at best and dangerous at worst. When it’s time to sell, knowing you’ve hit the target market weight for your area means you’re maximizing your profit and not leaving money on the table.
de=osi&th=1&psc=1″ target=”_blank”>VEVOR 1100 lb Livestock Scale for Versatility
The VEVOR platform scale is a common sight on small farms for a reason. It hits a sweet spot between affordability, functionality, and capacity. With an 1100-pound limit, it will easily handle any pig from a weaner to a full-grown finisher, and even a small breeding sow.
What makes it so practical is its design. The low-profile platform is easy for a pig to step onto, and the non-slip rubber mat provides crucial traction. The digital readout is on a long cord, allowing you to mount it on a wall or post, safely away from a curious pig’s snout. You can keep your eyes on the animal while still seeing the numbers clearly.
This isn’t just a pig scale; it’s a farm scale. You’ll find yourself using it to weigh bags of feed, hay bales, goats, or even yourself. That multi-purpose utility makes it a fantastic long-term investment that pays for itself in usefulness across your entire homestead.
Happybuy Digital Scale: A Simple, Reliable Choice
If you’re looking for a straightforward tool that just works, the Happybuy scale is a strong contender. It’s often priced competitively with the VEVOR and shares many of the same core features: a durable platform, a separate digital display, and a solid weight capacity. It’s a no-frills workhorse.
The beauty of this scale is its simplicity. There are no complicated menus or features to learn. You turn it on, you put the pig on it, and you get a weight. For a beginner who is already juggling a dozen new tasks, that kind of plug-and-play reliability is a huge asset.
Think of it as the dependable pickup truck of scales. It may not have heated seats, but it will start every time and haul what you need it to. For a small operation focused on raising a few feeder pigs a year, this scale provides all the necessary function without any unnecessary cost.
PITEBA Hanging Scale: Ideal for Weighing Piglets
Weigh items up to 660lbs with this portable digital crane scale, perfect for farm, hunting, and fishing. Easily switch between lb, kg, and N units and utilize the hold function for accurate readings.
Platform scales are great for big pigs, but they’re useless for tiny, squirming piglets. Trying to get a 15-pound weaner to stand still on a large platform is an exercise in frustration. This is where a simple, inexpensive hanging scale shines.
The process is simple: place the piglet in a sturdy canvas bag or a 5-gallon bucket, hook it to the scale, and lift. It’s a quick, low-stress method for both you and the animal. Tracking early growth is vital, and this tool makes it easy to get accurate weights on a weekly basis to ensure your piglets are thriving.
Of course, a hanging scale has a very clear limitation. Once a pig hits 50 or 60 pounds, lifting it safely becomes a two-person job, and soon after, it’s just not practical. This is not a do-it-all scale, but as a budget-friendly tool for the critical first two months of a pig’s life, it’s invaluable.
SENSR Load Bar Kit: The Ultimate DIY Scale Setup
For the farmer who is comfortable with a bit of building, a load bar kit is the most flexible and customizable option. You don’t get a platform; you get the guts of the scale—two heavy-duty steel bars with weight sensors inside and a digital indicator. You provide the rest.
The power of this system is that you build the platform yourself. You can make it out of plywood and 2×4s to the exact dimensions you need. Better yet, you can integrate the load bars directly into a permanent chute or a temporary pen, creating a seamless weighing station. This eliminates the struggle of trying to coax a pig onto a strange-looking platform.
The tradeoff is your time and skill. This is not an out-of-the-box solution. But if you have scrap lumber and basic tools, you can build a highly effective, custom-sized scale for potentially less than a pre-made platform. It’s the perfect choice for someone who values customization over convenience.
A and A Scales Platform: Durability on a Budget
While many budget scales look similar, the A and A models often stand out for their tougher construction. They tend to use thicker steel and a more durable powder-coat finish, designed to withstand the daily abuse of a farm environment. This is the scale for someone who is hard on their equipment.
Look for features like a welded, diamond-plate steel top. This provides excellent traction for hooves and is far more resistant to damage than a simple rubber mat. The internal components are also typically better sealed against moisture and dirt, which is a major cause of failure in cheaper electronics.
You might pay a small premium for this durability, but it’s often worth it. A scale that fails mid-season is a major headache. Investing a little more upfront for a platform you know can handle being left in the barn or getting caked in mud can be the more economical choice in the long run.
Prime Scales PS-AS700: A Solid Entry-Level Pick
The Prime Scales PS-AS700 is another excellent workhorse that competes directly with the other entry-level platforms. It delivers reliable performance and has one feature that is an absolute game-changer for weighing livestock: an "animal hold" or "peak hold" function.
Pigs don’t stand still. They shift their weight, wiggle, and try to turn around. The hold function accounts for this movement by taking an average weight over several seconds and then locking that number on the screen. This means you get a stable, accurate reading instead of a flickering number you have to guess at.
This single feature can be the difference between a useful tool and a frustrating one. While it’s becoming more common, not all budget scales have it. The PS-AS700 is a great example of a scale that focuses on doing the basics exceptionally well, making the weighing process faster and more accurate.
Key Factors in Selecting the Right Pig Scale
Choosing the right scale comes down to matching the tool to your specific situation. Don’t just buy the cheapest one; think through how you’ll actually use it. A little foresight now will save you a lot of headaches later.
Before you buy, consider these four points:
- Capacity: Ensure the scale can handle your largest animal. A 600 lb capacity is fine for most market hogs, but if you have sows, you’ll want 1000 lbs or more.
- Platform Size: A 200-pound pig needs room to stand comfortably with all four feet on the scale. A platform that’s too small will give you inaccurate readings and make the pig nervous. Look for something around 20" x 40" at a minimum.
- Durability and Power: Will it live in a dry barn or a muddy pasture? Look for sealed electronics and a sturdy steel frame. Also, decide if you need a battery-powered option for portability or if an AC adapter will work.
- Key Features: The animal hold function is a must-have. Don’t overlook it. A non-slip surface is also non-negotiable for animal safety.
Ultimately, the decision between a pre-built platform and a DIY load bar kit comes down to your resources. If you have more time and skill than cash, build your own. If you need a solution that works the day it arrives, a complete platform scale is the better choice. A good scale is an investment that provides critical data, and getting the right one from the start is a smart move.
A scale transforms you from a pig keeper to a pig manager. It’s not an expense but an investment in efficiency, animal health, and profitability. Choose the right tool for your farm, and you’ll be rewarded with the confidence that comes from making decisions based on hard numbers, not just a good guess.
