European Hog News:

[mikey]

Saturday, October 17, 2009
We're Paying the Price Now
UK - We are now starting to pay the price for the halcyon days of spring and early summer when United Kingdom pig prices soared above European levels, writes Peter Crichton in his Traffic Lights commentary.




Unfortunately the higher they are the harder they fall and by August some retailers were realising that if they kept promoting the United Kingdom product in the face of much cheaper imports their margins would shrink and they could make even more money by switching to larger supplies of imports at the expense of United Kingdom producers.

The situation we are now faced with is that because of reduced retail orders United Kingdom abattoirs are cutting back on pig numbers leaving a larger surplus of spot pigs looking for homes at a time of year when supplies also tend to increase.

The picture may not however be as bleak as this because several of the larger marketing groups are reporting that their forward forecasts are indicating a reduction in supplies when we enter November and if this is coupled with the colder weather, this could slow down growth rates and stimulate retail demand.

When this happens this should help to arrest the falling DAPP, which a year ago was quoted at 136.51p almost neck and neck with spot rather than the 15p differential that now exists.

Spot bacon today was traded at a base price of circa 130p and other outlets were prepared to pay a copper or two more than this, but space still remains very tight. Contract sellers tied to the DAPP still have a base price of 147.54p as a safety net.

Lighter cutter weight pigs continue to sell marginally better and with Christmas approaching producers are advised to keep on top of their numbers and perhaps start selling some lighter weights to avoid another bottleneck over the festive period.

A marginal improvement in the value of sterling has done nothing to help on the trading front which saw the euro slip from 92.6p a week ago to 91.0p on Friday, but still well ahead of earlier levels.

Reports of difficult trading conditions in the European mainland pig market have also put more downward pressure on United Kingdom cull sow quotes which have today been generally between 108p and 113p, but a general shortage of slaughter numbers has kept this market slightly firmer than expected.

Weaner prices are continuing to head south with the latest AHDB 30kg ex-farm quote now standing at £50.32/head, down by almost £7 since June.

Providing feed prices stay at current levels there is still a margin for weaner buyers and sellers alike.

We may however have to wait until the early spring next year before any significant rally is seen in the finished pig market, but what most sellers are hoping for is a period of stability to settle the market down rather than seeing further fluctuations between now and the end of the year.

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Pork and Poultry Purchases in UK Flying High
UK - Consumer purchases of bacon are soaring and fresh pork and sausages are in hot pursuit according to new figures produced for BPEX.

 

The figures show bacon purchases up 7.9 per cent, fresh pork up 5.3 per cent and sausages are showing a 2 per cent rise.

BPEX head of Marketing, Chris Lamb said, “This continues the trend of people looking for high quality, value for money pork. This growth for both pork and for poultry comes at a time when beef and lamb are under pressure and are losing volume – even such staples as beef mince."

The figures also show, over the same period, twice as many households bought bacon than fresh chicken breasts while one and a half times more bought sausages.

The figures are the latest from TNS and covers the four-week period ending on 4 October, compared with the same period last year.

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Largest Percentage Increase in Pig Farm Incomes
UK - Specialist pig farms saw the largest percentage increase in farm business income in the 12 months to February 2009, but this was from a particularly low base.


Average output from pig enterprises increased by just over 40 per cent, according to Defra’s latest farm business income report. Input costs were significantly higher, but were more than offset by higher output.

Average farm business income for all farm types was slightly higher than in 2008/09 at £50,900 compared to £48,200 in 2007/08. This reflects firmer prices during the year for a range of commodities, particularly pigmeat, lamb and beef and to a lesser extent milk.

Farmers also saw an increase in the value of their single farm payment due to a more favourable exchange rate compared to the previous year.

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United Kingdom Pig Meat Market Update - October 2009
Tony Fowler, senior economic analyst with AHDB Meat Services Economic and Policy Analysis Group, explains the latest trends in pig production in the UK and European Union.

 

UK Prices
The DAPP continued to move lower in September and, at 149.5p/kg in the week ended 19 September, fell below 150p for the first time since April. Prices were 2p lower than four weeks earlier but were still 12p higher than a year earlier. There was a slight recovery in the DAPP in week ended 26 September, to 149.7p.


The average export specification cull sow price continued to firm during August and early September primarily due to weaker sterling and a lack of sows rather than increased Continental demand. The average sow price in the week ended 19 September, at 116.3p/kg, was 3p higher than four weeks earlier. There was, however a decline in week ended 26 September to 113,9p. In line with the finished market, weaner prices have also weakened since mid-July. In the week ended 26 September the average price for a 30kg weaner was £52.81.

Exchange Rates and EU Prices
Sterling has fallen sharply against the Euro since the beginning of August, due largely to concerns on the foreign exchange markets about the increases in British public debt. By Friday 25 September the value of sterling against the Euro had fallen by seven per cent since the beginning of August to £1=1.0884 Euros (ie 1 Euro = 92p). This was the lowest level against the Euro since April.

Pig prices eased in most member states during the first three weeks of September. The number of slaughter pigs is reported to have been high and combined with lower demand following the end of the holiday season on the Continent this has placed some downward pressure on prices. In the week ended 20 September the EU average pig reference price was €148 per 100kg dw, four per cent lower than four weeks earlier. However, due to the depreciation of sterling, the average EU price in sterling terms was actually up two per cent over the same period.


The drop in prices was most marked in Germany and the Netherlands, both down by seven per cent in the four weeks to 20 September. Colder weather in Spain, leading to an increase in growth rates, together with lower demand resulted in the Spanish price falling by five per cent over the same period.

EU Pig Survey Results
The EU Commission has published the results of the April/May/June 2009 pig census for 14 member states. The 14 member states for which results are available account for around 90 per cent of the total EU pig population. The United Kingdom and Denmark showed the sharpest increases and there were smaller growth rates in the Netherlands, Italy and Ireland. But these were offset by contraction in other member states – especially Hungary, Sweden and Poland – leading to a one percent decline in overall breeding herd numbers.

UK Slaughterings and Production
Clean pig slaughterings were down on 2008 levels in the first half of 2009, but since June they have been on a rising trend. Slaughterings in August totalled 744,000; this was equal to an average weekly throughput of 186,000 head, seven per cent higher than a year earlier and the highest (other than in October/November 2007 when figures were distorted by FMD controls) since November2006.


Up to now the driver of higher slaughterings in 2009 has not been increased sow numbers but improved sow productivity. Sow productivity (defined as the relationship between slaughterings and the lagged breeding herd) has been increasing for much of this year, and in August is estimated to have been seven per cent higher than a year earlier. However, sow numbers have started to increase, and they should therefore also begin to contribute to increased slaughter levels over the next year.


There was a further increase in throughputs during the first three weeks of September and preliminary forecasts for the month indicate they averaged 191,000 a week, five per cent up on September 2008.


Average carcase weights of pigs in the DAPP sample have increased seasonally since late June and have been consistently heavier than year earlier levels throughout July, August and early September. However, the rate of increase in 2009 has been less marked than in 2008. By mid September the average weight had increased to 79.8kg, up by nearly 2kg since the beginning of July compared with a rise of nearly 3kg in the corresponding period a year earlier.

UK Trade
Exports of fresh and frozen pork during July of 7,900 tonnes were 16 per cent lower than in the corresponding month a year earlier. This compares with June shipments that were 23 per cent lower than year earlier levels. Higher sow slaughterings during July helped reduce the deficit on exports compared with a year earlier. Germany was the leading destination for pork exports in July and accounted for a third of total pork exports, despite volumes being 13 per cent lower on the year at 2,600 tonnes. Ireland was the second largest destination, shipments being 25 per cent lower on the year at 1,400 tonnes.


Imports of fresh and frozen pork in July were 10 per cent lower than year earlier levels at 29,500 tonnes. Imports from Denmark, at 7,900 tonnes, accounted for 27 per cent of total imports, despite a 31 per cent fall in volumes compared with the corresponding month a year earlier. Higher imports from Ireland and Belgium partially offset the lower Danish imports. Shipments from Ireland and Belgium both surpassed 4,000 tonnes, up 28 and 35 per cent on the year respectively.

Feed Prices
After reaching a low of £88 per tonne in late-August, delivered feed wheat prices for Eastern England rebounded to £95 per tonne by early-September. On LIFFE UK wheat futures, feed wheat prices are at around £99 per tonne for November contracts, which is up a few pounds on recent weeks ago but around £12 per tonne cheaper than at the same point last season.


Strategie Grains has estimated that the 2009/2010 EU wheat crop could reach 130 million tonnes. This is down 10 million tonnes on last season. It estimates the UK crop at 14.8 million tonnes, a fall of 2.4 million tonnes from last season’s record and forecasts the percentage of feed wheat to be around 70 per cent compared with 75 per cent last year. EU barley production is placed at 61.5 million tonnes, down four million tonnes on last season. An estimated reduction in the Spanish barley crop, due to prevailing drought conditions, accounts for the majority of this fall.

World wheat production is forecast at 664 million tonnes, down 18 million tonnes on last season. Falls are predicted in many of the major production areas; including the EU, United States and former Soviet states down 10 million tonnes although a small increase of two million tonnes is expected in China.
Provisional United Kingdom Pig Survey Results - June 2009
Provisional Defra pig survey results show that the United Kingdom female breeding herd increased by five per cent, or 24,000 head, in the year to June 2009. At 440,000 head, numbers were approaching June 2007 levels.


It is thought that this is the first time since 1997 that the national breeding herd has expanded compared with a year earlier. December 2006 also showed a small expansion, but this is likely to have been a statistical anomaly. The expansion has arisen from a renewal of confidence in the industry as it recovers from the feed crisis during 2007 and the first half of 2008. Lower feed prices combined with higher pig prices meant that the industry moved from loss-making to profit-making in the autumn of 2008.

The increase in the breeding herd has begun to be reflected in the lighter weights of slaughter pigs on farms, with the number of pigs under 50kg liveweight up on a year earlier. But due to the lag in the production cycle, numbers of some heavier pig categories were still down.
Consumption
Retail pork sales in volume terms were down three per cent compared with a year earlier in the four weeks ended 6 September. Slightly lower average prices (-1 per cent) meant that expenditure was four per cent lower. Purchases of chops were again buoyant (+20 per cent), although purchases of all other cuts were lower.


In the latest 4-week period the volume of bacon purchases was three per cent higher than a year earlier. The average unit price was down three per cent, leading to unchanged expenditure.


Retail purchases of sausages were down one per cent compared with last year, although higher average prices meant that expenditure was up four per cent. Purchases of pork pies and sausage rolls remained higher than a year earlier. There was an increase of 65 per cent in volume purchases of chilled pork ready meals, although in absolute terms the size of this market is small.


October 2009

[mikey]

Wednesday, November 04, 2009Print This Page
Good News for British Pig Industry
UK - The latest pig cost of production report, published by BPEX, has good news for British producers though not all in the garden is rosy.

 

The report covers 2008 and costs in GB rose by 12 per cent, against an EU average increase of 24 per cent.

Britain has closed the competitiveness gap with other EU countries whereas in previous years it had been one of the highest-cost countries.

The improvement in the relative cost of production in Great Britain was in part due to improved physical performance, but it was mainly due to the lower exchange rate.

British production continued to show improvements in post-weaning mortality, down from 7.0 per cent to 5.6 per cent. By far the most marked improvement in post-weaning mortality in recent years has occurred here.

The average number of pigs finished per sow increased for the fifth consecutive year. At 20.9 pigs/sow, average performance was 4 per cent higher than the previous year and 11 per cent higher than in 2004. This was the highest annual improvement recorded for at least 15 years.

The most marked improvement in daily liveweight gain for feeding herds occurred in Great Britain, up 11 per cent to a record 757g. British results have increased every year since 2003, when they averaged 627g/day and they are now up to the EU average.

Senior Economic Analyst and report author Tony Fowler said: "Overall, production in Great Britain has been increasing faster than the EU average, up from 75 per cent of the EU average in 2004 to 80 per cent in 2008.

"Feed prices have continued to fall in 2008 - but due to the depreciation of sterling, they were just 11 per cent lower in sterling terms.

"In 2009 there has been a further decline in sterling but the impact of this has been offset by the increase in British feed prices, leaving competitiveness little changed.

"Costs of production in Great Britain averaged 136.8p/kg in 2008, against the EU average of 135.9p/kg. In August 2009 the GB figure was 133.8p/kg against an EU average of 133.4p/kg.

"Producers are now in profit, albeit with a large debt burden still to clear - a major turnaround compared with 2008 when they were losing money on every pig they sold."

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Wednesday, November 04, 2009Print This Page
VLA: Respiratory Disease Outbreak in Breeding Herd
UK - According to Defra's VLA Monthly Scanning Surveillance Report for September, two live piglets were examined in Preston to confirm the outbreak of a respiratory disease in a breeding herd.




Alimentary tract diseases
Salmonellosis
Four live pigs were submitted to Bury from an indoor 250-sow breeder finisher unit where wasting was affecting 5% of 600 pigs aged six to 10-weeks-old with approximately 3% post weaning mortality. Piglets were vaccinated for PCV2 and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. Three of the four submitted pigs had diarrhoea, two of these had severe typhlocolitis and one had thickening and corrugation of the ileum. A multiple aetiology was identified with porcine intestinal adenomatosis confirmed in the pig with ileal thickening, and Salmonella Typhimurium phage type U288 and Brachyspira pilosicoli being isolated from the large intestines of all three scouring pigs. PCV2 associated disease was not identified.

Salmonellosis due to Salmonella Typhimurium phage type U288 was diagnosed as the cause of weight loss and occasional scour in eight-week-old pigs from an outdoor rearing site. Twenty-five of 1,100 pigs had died. Pigs were vaccinated for PRRSV and PCV2. Two dead pigs were submitted both of which had a necrotic typhlocolitis which yielded the Salmonella organisms.

Another outbreak of salmonellosis was diagnosed on an indoor 540-sow unit rearing pigs to 35 kgs. From one shed of 1000 rearing pigs, 55 deaths were recorded over a nine week period with two to three wasted pigs being found dead each morning. Rearing pigs were vaccinated for Streptococcus suis and PCV2. Two dead pigs were submitted, both of which had a severe typhlocolitis from which Salmonella Typhimurium phage type U288 was isolated and no other enteropathogens or PRRSV were identified. Histopathology did not reveal involvement of PIA or PCV2.

Sutton Bonnington isolated Salmonella Typhimurium PT 193 from pooled faeces submitted from 14-week-old rearing pigs. The diarrhoea had started in 25% of a group of 71 on the morning of submission. There had been no deaths.

Respiratory Diseases
Mycoplasmosis
Two live piglets aged 6 weeks were submitted to Preston to investigate an outbreak of respiratory disease in a breeding herd. Coughing was initially observed in adults together with an occasional animal with a mucopurulent nasal discharge. Disease then progressed to affect most litters typically from around 4 weeks of age onwards – clinical signs in younger pigs included coughing, increased respiratory rate and a “thumping” respiration in some animals. There was gross and histological evidence of severe chronic proliferative bronchointerstitial pneumonia in both animals submitted. No bacteria were recovered (possibly due to prior antibiotic therapy), but Streptococcus suis was detected in lungs from both pigs by DGGE. Tests for PRRS and SI viruses were all negative.

Other diseases
Erysipelas
Bury investigated an outbreak of swine erysipelas which presented as sudden death of approximately ten of 1000 pigs on the day of weaning. Pigs died rapidly after being seen panting, with reddened skin and a few pigs were seen with diamond-shaped skin lesions. The pre farrowing erysipelas booster for the gilts, from which these pigs were weaned, had been inadvertently omitted. Other ages of pig were reported to be well, which included sows, with numbers born live remaining good.

Neurological Diseases
Streptococcus suis type 2
Streptococcus suis 2 infection was responsible for eight sudden deaths of nine-week-old pigs from a group of 600 on a 2300 pig indoor nursery finisher unit containing pigs from two sources where only one source was affected at the time of submission. Some coughing and joint swelling was reported in the group. Three dead pigs were submitted to Bury with gross lesions suggestive of a septicaemia and, in one, a fibrinous exudate was present over the meninges. Meningeal smears from all three pigs tested positive for S.suis 2 and the organism was isolated from meninges and internal viscera. No PRRSV involvement was identified. These pigs had been vaccinated with Streptococcus suis 2 vaccine.

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Monday, November 09, 2009Print This Page
Global Opportunity for Pig Industry People
UK - People with a passion for the pig industry have a unique opportunity to study and travel as BPEX and Merial Animal Health are jointly sponsoring a Nuffield Scholarship award this year.

 

The Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust (NFST) is seeking applications from people aged between 22 and 45, who are convinced there is an exciting future in farming, food and rural industries.

The deadline for applications is 15 November 2009. Current pig industry scholar Richard Hooper is encouraging anyone who is passionate about their work to apply for a Scholarship now.

“When my scholarship was awarded I was told I could look forward to a challenging and enjoyable experience that would open up a lifetime of new opportunities – so far so good!,” says Mr Hooper, whose personal study tour is titled ‘The Recruitment, Training and Retention of Quality Staff in the Pig Industry’.

“I started in the US, visiting pig businesses ranging from 40 sows to more than 100,000, along with non-agricultural businesses, universities and levy and government funded bodies. My next visit is to Canada.”

“Developing new knowledge, skills and research is vital to improve the competitiveness and sustainability of the pig industry,” says BPEX Chairman Stewart Houston.

"Sponsoring a Nuffield Scholarship is a fantastic way to support enthusiastic pig people wanting to bring benefits to the industry as a whole.”

The NFST awards around 20 Scholarships each year, providing travel and subsistence costs for an eight-week period, in return for a written paper and presentation of study findings at its Winter Conference

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Tuesday, November 10, 2009Print This Page
EU Pig Prices: Prices Rise Almost All over Europe
EU - Finally, the knot was cut - as for the slaughter pig market, an upward trend is reported from almost all European countries.

 

It’s only the prices in Great Britain and Sweden which went slightly downward. For the second time in a row, the Spanish and French prices remained on an unchanged level. Price increases ranging from a corrected 2.7 to 5 cents were reported on with regard the German, Dutch and Danish quotations.

The improved sales revenues on the meat market must be called the crucial factor for the price increase observed in Germany. On top of that, the quantities of pigs for slaughter on offer continue to be further canvassed. In Denmark and the Netherlands, the increasing pigs-mature-for-slaughter prices are also said to be caused by the shortage of supply. A day of slaughter missing as a result of a public holiday in France is said to be the reason for unchanged prices there.

Trend: As for Germany, the price increase which had been expected for the previous week could be enforced last Friday. For the week ahead, the pigs-mature-for-slaughter price is expected to keep steady. If supply continues to be sold speedily, prices may as well go on to increase.

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UK's Processed Pork Exports Booming
UK - British bacon, sausage and ham exports are hitting new heights with the Republic of Ireland remaining the largest market.

 

Bacon exports have more than tripled since January of last year. For the whole of 2008, they reached 31,000 tonnes, worth £72 m. and are expected to remain at the same level in 2009. Shipments to Spain rose from 482 to 5,432 tonnes.

Exports of sausages have progressed substantially to 6,350 tonnes worth £14 m. in 2008 and are expected to reach 7,500 tonnes this year.

The main destinations are Ireland (37 per cent) and Spain (29 per cent). Germany, Malta, Denmark, Greece, Malta and Portugal are also substantial markets.

With regards to ham, our exports were up to 16,000 tonnes worth £43 m. in 2008 from 9,000 tonnes in 2006 and 12,000 tonnes in 2007 and are expected to rise by a further 15 per cent in 2009. Some 860 tonnes of ham were exported to Hong Kong in 2008.

BPEX Export Manager Jean-Pierre Garnier said, “These figures are very good and in a competitive market place show exporters are taking advantage of high quality, high welfare pork and pork products which are an attractive proposition overseas.”

“The marketing investment that this industry has afforded in many markets is showing dividends," Mr Garnier continued.

Finally, Mr Garnier said that with more pork likely to be produced in 2010, the country can expect a continuation in progress.

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Call for Govt to Act over Antibiotic Resistance
UK - The Soil Association has called on the government to act over what is calls an escalating farm antibiotic resistance problem.



The Soil Association welcomes the UK’s involvement in the second European Antibiotic Awareness Day, yesterday (18 November) but is calling on the Government to give as much attention to reducing the over-use of antibiotics on farms and in veterinary surgeries as it gives to hospitals and doctors surgeries.

As last year, the Awareness Day will primarily target doctors, nurses, pharmacists and the general public, with the aim of reducing the overuse of antibiotics in human medicine. Unfortunately, much less effort is being put into targeting vets and farmers.

This is despite the fact that, according to a Government report published in 2007, over 53 per cent of antibiotics used in the UK are given to animals, mostly in food or water. About 90 per cent of veterinary antibiotic use is in farm animals.

Excessive antibiotic use in farm animals leads to higher levels of antibiotic resistance, which can have consequences for animal health and welfare, as diseases become untreatable, and for human health, when resistant bacteria transfer from animals to humans.

According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), resistant salmonella and campylobacter involved in human disease are mostly spread through foods. Highly antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as MRSA and ESBL E. coli have also recently emerged in farm animals in most countries, and can sometimes be passed to humans.

Sir Liam Donaldson, the UK's Chief Medical Officer, has referred to the 'irresponsible antibiotic use in the agricultural sector', and said "Resistant bacteria developing in animals could pose a threat to people. Antibiotics must be used in moderation in agricultural settings and only when necessary for animal welfare."

Despite this, the Soil Association says that the Government does not take a direct role in advising vets or farmers on how to minimise antibiotic use or the development of resistance. Instead it works through the quasi-commercial Veterinary Medicines Directorate which relies heavily on funding from both drug companies and farmers. The Government even supports the continued advertising of antibiotics directly to farmers.

An incredible 96 per cent of farm antibiotics are used in pigs and poultry, the two most intensively farmed species. Even though there are over seven times as many sheep in the UK as there are pigs, total antibiotic use in the pig sector is over 115 times higher than it is in sheep farming. This is because sheep are usually farmed outdoors, while pigs, like chickens, are generally kept in unnatural factory-farming conditions and antibiotics are used to control the spread of disease, says the Soil Association.

Soil Association Policy Adviser, Richard Young, said: "Most vets and farmers approach the use of antibiotics responsibly but this is not universally the case. There is also a very low level of awareness of the resistance problems currently developing on British farms and how to prevent these spreading. As such, the Government must actively engage with all sections of the livestock industry, as it has done with the medical profession and the public.

"Many large-scale producers are locked into highly intensive methods in an attempt to compete with cheap foreign imports. Using extra antibiotics is still the most cost-effective option for these producers and that raises questions for society, to which the Government, supermarkets, consumer groups and others need to give urgent consideration."

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Short Supply Holds Up UK Cull Sow Prices
UK - Although in some areas small rises in spot prices were recorded, the general sentiment was more of a stand-on nature reflecting the relatively static DAPP which now stands at 140.59p, but still well up on its value of 132.75p a year ago, Peter Crichton writes in this week's Traffic Lights commentary.




Something of a north/south divide opened up in connection with pig prices today with more of a seller’s market south of Watford than north.

It will be unfortunate if abattoirs are unable to take full numbers in the key weeks building up to Christmas, but the return of colder weather could help on this front by slowing down growth rates.

If pig prices could be persuaded to follow the upward track seen in the sheep market recently where liveweight prices have gone up by 20p/kg in the last 14 days (£8/sheep), pig producers will also feel that Christmas had arrived early.

With no reports of spot bacon being traded at less than 125p and most prices circa 127p with lighter weights attracting more interest, spot sellers had a slightly easier ride than they did a few weeks ago.

Cull sow prices continue to be held up by a lack of numbers on this side of the Channel rather than better prices in Europe and the euro has maintained its value over the past seven days closing on Friday worth a fraction under 90p.

Export sow abattoirs were generally offering in the 106–108p range on a delivered basis, but still some fairly wide variations according to load size and specification.

Weaner prices have followed the spot finished pig market with very little variation over the past seven days with the 30kg AHDB ex-farm average holding at £48.29/head.

Reports of financial problems being faced by some of the smaller wholesalers (not abattoirs) are continuing to circulate in the market, but are in stark contrast with recent financial results announced by Tulip and Cranswick both of whom are recording significant profits, but really needs to be seen throughput the whole supply chain to allow producers to re-invest in what are fast becoming worn out pig units with in many cases worn out pig farmers running them.

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UK Slaughter Statistics - November 2009
UK - Figures from the UK's Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) reveal that the country's monthly home-killed production of pig meat rose in October, but only slightly. It should be noted that the month of October contained five weeks.

 

The number of clean pigs sent to slaughter in October rose quite significantly at 995,000 in October, compared to 739,000 in September and 745,000 in August. The number of sows and boars sent for slaughter, on the other hand, was not as high in October. The figure stands at a mere 23,000, compared to 17,000 in September and August.

The average dressed carcase weight dropped in October at 78.8 kg, compared to 79.3 kg and 78.1 kg in September and August respectively. On the other hand, the slaughter weight for sows and boars appears fairly stable at 161.9 kg, compared to 152.2 kg in September and 149.8 kg the month before.

Overall, the UK produced 79 kg of pig meat in October, compared to 61 kg in September and August and 72 kg in July.

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Report Calls for Livestock Production Cuts
UK - A new report in the medical journal The Lancet has called for a 30 per cent reduction in livestock production to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet the UK emission targets for 2030.



The report - The Health Benefits of Tackling Climate Change - looks at household energy emissions, urban land transport, low carbon electricity generation, short-lived greenhouse pollutants and agriculture and food.

In the section on agriculture and food the report says: "Agriculture and food production account for 10-12 per cent of greenhouse-gas emissions.

"Livestock farming is responsible for four-fifths of these emissions, which include methane (a greenhouse gas more potent than CO2) emitted by ruminant animals.

"Land-use changes, including deforestation for livestock production, add substantial further emissions. Increasing affluence boosts meat consumption, and forecasts predict livestock production will increase dramatically in the future to meet consumer demand.

"Heart disease, diabetes, some cancers, and other disease associated with overnutrition, high fat diets, and reduced exercise are already increasing in some countries of low and middle income."

The report says that there are four scenarios for change that have already been earmarked to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through agriculture: greater efficiency in livestock farming; more carbon capture through changes in land use; better manure management; and less dependence on fossil fuels.

"The study assesses the consequences for health of a fifth approach: a 30 per cent reduction in livestock production. The study assumes that this cut would lead to a similar fall in the consumption of meat and dairy produce," the report says.

However, the report has received sharp criticism from the farming community.

National Farmers' Union President Peter Kendall said the Lancet report, which has been backed by a number of Ministers, was another example of Government departments not working together. It appears the department most closely involved with food issues - Defra - has not been involved.

Mr Kendall said: "Farmers will be angry that yet again we have an ill informed and simplistic report which appears to completely misunderstand agriculture's emissions and its role in climate change. But the most unbelievable thing is that this report appears to have been put together without any input from the one Government department that deals in food policy and understands the issues - Defra.

"We know this is a complex issue and that is why Defra has been looking at it. This report advocates a 30 per cent reduction in livestock numbers in countries that have the most efficient production systems and hence the lowest emissions. It is part funded by the Department of Health and endorsed by three ministers with no thought for the unintended consequences of such a policy.

"What we need to do is look at doing things more efficiently rather than simply cutting livestock numbers. The car industry is praised for producing more efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles rather than being told to cut production. Likewise, a substantial investment in agricultural research and development is needed to enable farmers to produce food more efficiently with less impact on the environment.

"Other governments that value their livestock production are looking at exciting and innovative ways to reduce agriculture's environmental impacts while understanding the need to produce more food for an expanding global population. If the UK government wants to be seen as a leader at the climate change talks in Copenhagen they will need to work with farmers and not alienate them with soundbites."

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Free Pork Recipes to Rustle Up Romance
SCOTLAND, UK - Scots are being offered an opportunity this Valentine’s weekend to find out whether pork truly has aphrodisiac qualities as suggested earlier this month by Argentina's President Cristina Fernández.



Ms Fernández has been widely reported by the press around the world as suggesting she had personal experience of the lovelife-improving effect of eating pork, reportedly saying eating grilled pork was better than Viagra!

To ensure everyone has the opportunity to find out whether she is right, Quality Meat Scotland has posted a selection of easy-to-make dishes featuring pork in a Valentine’s section of the website. A free pork recipe booklet is also available from the site.

“While there is no conclusive scientific evidence that red meat, including pork, can boost libido it is certainly true that red meat contains protein which is essential for energy and zinc which has been reported to be beneficial in boosting fertility,” said Gordon Sloan of Quality Meat Scotland.

“We have carefully selected the Valentine’s pork recipes on the website to ensure they are both delicious and include recipes which are easy to prepare so that even less confident chefs can impress the love of their life!” Mr Sloan added.

The selection of hand-picked romantic pork recipes includes Red Thai Pork with Spicy Noodles; Pork with Scallops and Spiced Pork Parcels.

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Next Step in Pig Health and Biosecurity
UK - Yorkshire pig producers are proposing new ways to improve pig unit biosecurity.

 

Two producer cluster groups in the Yorkshire and Humberside Health (YHH) programme are now acting as 'pilot' clusters. They will provide details to Yorkshire Forward on how funds could be used collaboratively on farms to benefit pig health as part of the funding bid for stage two of the programme.

Practical ideas discussed at a meeting of the Mappleton cluster included:

to keep feed blower pipes on each unit so that feed wagons do not drag the same pipe across every yard they visit, and
to keep a box of brightly coloured overalls and wellies near the unit loading ramp for wagon drivers to wear. This enables the unit staff to make sure the driver is not entering areas of the farm where they may cause a disease risk.
The nine producers in the cluster were also pleased to welcome two veterinary professionals, a contract cleaner and a smallholder to the meeting. The smallholder pig keeper has signed up to YHH and, although his business is very different from the rest of the cluster, his involvement will benefit all parties in managing disease risk.

Veterinary practices across the region continue to work with producers on-farm to complete the confidential pig health survey. Producers must take part in the survey to qualify for stage two funding. Stage one funding has, to date, covered the cost for vets to complete the health surveys but after the end of February 2010 producers will need to pay for this.