UK: Higher pig slaughter numbers point to tighter supply

Clean pig slaughterings continued at high levels in July, with a 3% increase on last year, to 964,000 head.

Throughputs in the first seven months of the year were also 3% up, at 5.9 million head.

Sow and adult boar slaughterings reached 26,000 head in July, – 25% more than last year, as some producers destocked due to higher feed costs, said a report by BPEX.

But finished pig prices remained stable, with the EU DAPP easing slightly to 150.28p/kg in the week to 1 September.

“This stability, which has been apparent since late June, contrasts with the normal trend of falling prices during August.”

As a result, the DAPP was more than 3p/kg higher than a year earlier.

Weaner values had also begun to stabilise, with the average 30kg price dropping 14p to £38.98 (€48.77) a head in the week to 8 September. “Although there have been some further increases in feed prices, the stability of finished pig prices is limiting the downward pressure on weaners,” said the report.

After more than four months in decline, cull sow values were matching stronger German markets, with average prices rising by 2p/kg in the week to 29 August, to 110.54p/kg.

Source: Famers Weekly Interactive