June 27, 2022

Pig numbers in Lower Saxony State, Germany, dropped 10.6% in May

The pig inventory in Germany's leading pig-producing state, Lower Saxony State, continues to fall, according to preliminary data for May 2022 reported by the Lower Saxony State Statistical Office (LSN).

With a reduction of 10.6% last month compared to May 2021 (8.2 million head), the pig population stands at 7.3 million head, a ten-year low. Compared to May 2012, the pig population has decreased by almost one-fifth.

The number of boars (-53.1%) and breeding sows (-13.5%) was down at an above-average rate compared to the same month last year. Last May, there were about 2,100 boars and 388,100 breeding sows. The number of piglets was 1.9 million animals, a decrease of 12.6% compared to May 2021.

While there were around 8,000 pig farms in May 2012, the number had almost halved to 4,400 farms in ten years. Compared to May 2021, around 550 farms have abandoned pig production in Lower Saxony.

- Lower Saxony State Statistical Office (Germany)