The data are updated approximately quarterly by the UK Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), and include the number of pigs slaughtered in all EU countries. The latest data in the current report are for 2009 to the end of November.

The total number of pigs slaughtered in the EU between January and November 2009 was just over 219.1 million, which is 12.4 million or 5.4 per cent fewer than over the same period of 2008 (231.6 million).

Of the top ten pig-producing countries in the EU, increases in the number of pigs slaughtered were recorded only in Germany, where the number was 51.3 million, up 1.12 million or 2.2 per cent from the same period in 2008. In the UK, the increase was a marginal at 5,000 pigs and just 0.1 per cent to almost 8.73 million.

In Spain, the number of pigs slaughtered was down 6.5 per cent or 2.46 million animals to 35.5 million.

The fall in France was much smaller – 3.2 per cent or 762,000 head – down to 22.7 million.

The Danes slaughtered 17.7 million pigs over the period, which is 1.45 million or 7.6 per cent fewer than the previous year. The losses here and gains in Germany may be explained, at least partly, by the move of Danish pig meat companies to transport pigs over the border to their southern neighbour for slaughter and processing.

The number of pigs slaughtered in the Netherlands was 12.6 million, which is 744,000 or 5.6 per cent fewer than the same period of 2008.

A total of 11.5 million Italian pigs were slaughtered between January and November 2009, which represents a reduction of 730,000 compared to the previous year (-5.9 per cent).

Of the leading pig-producing countries in the EU, the greatest percentage fall in pigs slaughtered was in Romania, where the number was down to 2.47 million – a reduction of 1.01 million pigs or 29.1 per cent.

There was a marginal fall of just 0.2 per cent in the number of Belgian pigs sent for slaughter, at just over 10.2 million.

Most of the newer EU Member States from central Europe with smaller pig herds recorded large drops in the number of pigs slaughtered over the period: Lithuania (-43.7 per cent), Latvia (-37.0 per cent), Slovakia (-28.4 per cent), Slovenia (-24.3 per cent), Bulgaria (-23.7 per cent), Estonia (-22.2 per cent), Hungary (-14.9 per cent) and the Czech Republic (-14.7 per cent).

Further Reading

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You can view the latest data on UK pig slaughterings by clicking here.

Further Reading

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You can view information on the pig population in the EU by clicking here.