December 28, 2021

French slaughter union proposes surcharge to cover cost of castrating piglets under anesthesia

Culture Viande, the union of French slaughter and cutting companies, proposed that slaughterhouses pay farmers a surcharge of €0.02/kg to cover the cost of castration of piglets under anesthesia.

The proposal was made in accordance with commitments made at a pig industry meeting in France on October 19 in the presence of French Minister of Agriculture Julien Denormandie.

The proposed surcharge is higher than the cost assessment carried out by the IFIP (Institut du porc) for this operation. It amounts to a total of more than €15 million (US$17 million) slaughterhouses will pay annually to farmers.

As with the production of entire male pigs:

    - Remuneration will be based on the current Uniporc Ouest grading and quality table, i.e. -23 cents/kg, based on 56% muscle;

    - Whole male carcasses with boar taint shall be sent to C3 (animal by-products not intended for human consumption) in accordance with EU regulations (EU Regulation 2019/627).

- Culture Viande (France)