February 19, 2010

UK pig slaughter up 13% in January

UK's clean pig slaughterings were 13% higher than in January 2009 at 716,000 head, while pork production was 75,000 tonnes, a rise of 14% on January 2009.

According to latest satistics from Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), in January, 907,000 clean pigs were sent for slaughter as compared to 763,000 and 799,000 in December and November 2009, respectively.

The number of sows and boars sent for slaughter in January was 21,000 compared to 16,000 in December and 18,000 in November.

The average dressed carcase weights remain fairly stable at 78.9kg for clean pigs in January compared to 78.2kg in December and 79.6kg in November.

Meanwhile, slaughter weight for sows and boars, seem to have dropped slightly: in January at 156.6kg compared to 158kg in December and 155.6kg in November.

All in all, the UK produced 75,000 tonnes of pork in January, compared to 62,000 tonnes in December, 66,000 tonnes in November and 79,000 tonnes in October.