1. Pig slaughterings

The graph below illustrates the trends in the monthly results and the average weekly slaughter:

6.7 million clean pigs were slaughtered in the UK in the first nine months of 2003, a fall of 11 per cent on 2002. Factors contributing to this fall include the continuing decline in the breeding herd and reduced productivity of sows (i.e. the number of pigs reared per sow).

The reduction in productivity of sows is thought to be due to the impact of specific pig diseases such as Postweaning Multisystemic Wasting Syndrome (PMWS) and Porcine Dermatitis Nephropathy Syndrome (PDNS), and also possibly to a higher proportion of older sows in the herd following the disruptions to the market in 2001 as a result of Foot and Mouth disease related movement restrictions and export bans. The very hot summer weather is thought to have had a negative impact on both growth rates and mortality, and this may also have kept slaughter levels down in the autumn.

In the first nine months of 2003 sow and boar slaughterings (at 182 th. head) decreased by 19% in comparison with 2002. In 2001 the export ban imposed as a result of FMD removed one of the major markets for cull sow meat and many producers kept their sows for an extra litter. From November 2001, when exports could be resumed, sow and boar slaughterings started to increase.

Disease Outbreaks.

The number of slaughterings for pigmeat production at UK abattoirs during August to December 2000 was significantly affected by the outbreak of swine fever in parts of England. 258,000 pigs were slaughtered as a result of the disease and associated welfare disposal schemes.

Slaughterings were then further affected by the Foot and Mouth disease outbreak over the period February to September 2001. 149,000 pigs were slaughtered following confirmation of disease or as dangerous contacts. A further 287,000 pigs were slaughtered under the Welfare Disposal Scheme. None of these pigs are counted in the slaughterings in Tables 1 and 2 above, nor used for meat production.

EU pig slaughterings

Numbers of EU pig slaughterings are only available in total, as the statistical legislation does not require Member States to differentiate between clean and cull slaughterings.

In 2001, EU slaughterings fell by 1%, with increased slaughterings in Germany, Spain, Denmark, Italy and Belgium being more than offset by reduced slaughterings in France, Netherlands and the UK, largely because of Foot and Mouth Disease.

In 2002, all the main pig producing member states (except Netherlands, Belgium and the United Kingdom) have shown increases in slaughterings. Complete EU data are not yet available for the second quarter of 2003, although where data are available increases in the larger pig producing member states have tended to balance any decline in smaller producers production levels.

2. Carcase weights

Carcase weights of both clean pigs and sows and boars were higher in almost every month of 2001 compared with the same months in the previous two years.

In 2001 there were delays in livestock being sent to slaughter due to the movement restrictions and exports bans imposed as a result of the FMD outbreak, which could have lead to an increase in slaughter weight.

However average carcase weights in 2002 also, on average, remained higher than in 2000, suggesting a more permanent shift in processors specifications towards higher carcase weights. In comparison with 2002 the average clean pig carcase weight in the first nine months of 2003 were 2% higher, and the sows and boars average carcase weight was 3% higher.

The impact of the hot summer weather on growth rates could have been a contributory factor to a decline in carcase weights in July and August.

3. Pigmeat production, trade and supplies

Pigmeat production is calculated from information on slaughterings and average carcase weights. A separate quarterly survey of bacon and ham production provides data on the amount of pigmeat that is cured. The quantity of pork produced is calculated as the difference between total pigmeat production and the quantity cured.

There are several measures of production used within this section. They are defined as follows:

• Home killed production: Meat produced from all pigs slaughtered in the UK.

• Home fed production: Meat produced from all pigs fattened in the UK. This measure includes the carcase meat equivalent of live (non-breeding) pig exports but excludes the carcase meat equivalent of pigs imported for immediate slaughter.

• Home cured production: This relates only to bacon and ham production and is a measure of the quantity of bacon and ham cured in the UK wherever the origin of the pigmeat.

Around 80% of the total pigmeat produced in the UK is used for pork and 20% for bacon and ham. In 2002 UK home killed production of pigmeat increased by 2% compared with 2001, but fell by 14% when compared with 2000. The increase in total pig meat production was entirely due to higher sow meat production, as production from clean pigs continued to fall. In the first nine months of 2003 UK home killed production showed a decline of 10% compared with 2002.

In 2002, 70% of home cured production was sourced from home-killed pigs, compared with 74% in 2001 and 78% in 2000. In the first nine months of 2003 this proportion has declined to 52%.

All pigmeat trade data (except imports of bone in pork from Denmark) are sourced from UK Intrastat data (EC) and Customs and Excise returns (Non-EC). The UK Intrastat data is thought to under record the level of bone in pork imported from Denmark so Danish Intrastat data on exports to the UK for the same commodity codes have been used instead. The import and export data exclude meat offals and preserved or manufactured products.

Overall in 2001, imports of pork were 2% lower than in 2000, whilst exports were 81% lower as a result of the introduction of a ban on exports from Great Britain (and initially also from Northern Ireland) following the FMD outbreak. During 2002, pork imports were 18% higher than a year earlier. Exports for 2002 were 149% higher than the previous year. The shortage of home-produced supplies means that imports have been at record levels this year. Imports were 27% higher and exports 30% lower during the second quarter 2003 compared to the same period of 2002.

In 2001, imports of bacon and ham were 5% higher than in 2000. Over 2002 imports were 4% higher than in 2001. However, in the second quarter of 2003 imports have declined by 7% when compared with 2002.

In 2002 total domestic usage was 2% higher than in 2001 with much higher exports (+146%) as a result of the lifting of the export ban. The second quarter of 2003 has seen a 9% increase in domestic usage compared with the same period in 2002 due to increased imports (+27%) which more than offset the 5% decrease in production.

In 2002 domestic usage was similar to 2001 as lower production (-5%) was offset by higher imports (+4%). Level production coupled with an decrease in imports (-11%) over the second quarter of 2003 has led to total domestic usage decreasing by 8% compared with the same period of 2002.

4. Pig Prices and Value of Pigs and Pigmeat Production

The reference prices shown here run to the week ending 19 October 2003. In the latest week the UK reference price was €21.37 per 100kg above the EU average. In mid September the UK reference price dipped below the EU average for a couple of weeks for the first time since late October 2001. In the last few weeks the EU average has fallen, and the UK reference price has risen once more.

The following graph compares the average finished pig price (adjusted eurospec average – UK) with average compound pig feed prices (GB). (Compound feed prices are published retrospectively, three months after the end of the period concerned, to protect the commercial confidentiality of respondents. The latest published figures are for June 2003). The average finished pig price increased by 9% in the year to June 2003 compared to a decrease of 4% in the compound feed price over the same period.

5. UK/EU Pig Populations

For information on UK and EU Pig Populations which forms Chapter 5 of this report Click Here

Link to main report

To read the full report, including tables (PDF - 23 pages, 318Kb) Click here

Source: Defra - October 2003