June 6, 2014

Driven by a growing world population and the increasing number of the middle class, global demand for pork is expected to surge by 50% by 2050, according to a study by Elanco, a leading animal health firm and a unit of Eli Lilly & Co.

The Elanco's report said that production of pork, the world's most widely consumed meat, will need to increase from 118 million tonnes in 2014 to 179 million tonnes. To meet that demand, pigs will need to gain extra 9 pounds than the current weight of about 273 pounds by leading producers, and reach that weight three weeks sooner than the current growth rate.

Rob Aukerman, president of US Operations for Elanco, said, "It requires acceptance of innovation and best practices, and the ability to bring new technologies and practices to the market. Otherwise, this story could go the other way."

The study also calls for the support for policies and practices that allow livestock producers to improve production. It pointed out that while farmers and ranchers will need to boost production, they will also need to make better use of resources such as water, feed and land, which are already overused.