The latest data from Agrosoft has shown that the GB breeding herd has been making positive gains in the 12-months ending June 2020.
AHDB analyst Felicity Rusk commented that this improvement in performance is expected be reflected in supplies at the end of this year, and into the start of next.
Ms Rusk said: “The average number of pigs weaned per sow per year increased to 26.51, 0.38 pigs more than in the 12-months ending June 2019. This equates to ten additional piglets for every 26 sows.”
Improvements in the number of piglets weaned per sow were recorded in both the indoor and outdoor breeding herds. The rise was more marked in indoor systems.
In the 12-months to June 2020, the number of pigs weaned per sow per year in indoor systems averaged 27.89, 0.42 pigs more than in the 12-months ending June 2019.
“This increase was driven by a rise in the number of pigs born alive per litter. However, a slight increase in pre-weaning mortality and a reduction in the number of litters born per sow per year hampered gains,” Ms Rusk explained.
Outdoor herds recorded improvements in both the number of pigs born alive per litter and the number of litters born per sow per year. However, a rise in pre-weaning mortality offset some of these gains.
Ms Rusk added: “Looking ahead, a rise in the numbers of pigs weaned indicates that we could see growth in pigs slaughtered per sow towards the end of this year and into next, which agrees with our expectations for UK pig meat production for this period. Nevertheless, this will depend on performance throughout the rearing and finishing stages.”
