The 2013 Pig Cost of Production Report has just been published by BPEX and shows the number of pigs weaned per sow per year rose by four per cent in Great Britain while the European Interpig countries had a three per cent increase.

The average number of pigs finished per sow also increased in 2013, to 22.23 pigs per sow. The average performance was 0.54 pigs higher than the year before.

The report takes information Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, France Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the US.

BPEX Head of Technical, Andrew Knowles, said: “These results are encouraging but we have to keep the foot on the accelerator because there is still a gap with our major competitors and we need to close it.

“The latest information available shows the British industry is still going in the right direction and making progress.

“Part of the reason for this could be that the industry has been going through a period of profitability which in turn has meant the industry has started investing again.”

The Interpig report, which covers 2013, can be downloaded from the BPEX web site by clicking here.