November UK clean pig slaughterings were down 4.8% on November 2022 at 911,000 head, the latest monthly Defra slaughter statistics show.
While still below year earlier levels, November slaughterings closed the gap on 2022, compared with an 8% deficit in October (887,000 head), and 10% in September (813,000).
The figures show an average of 212,000 pigs were slaughtered per week in November, compared with 200,000 in October, 190,000 in September and 223,000 in November 2022.
Broken down by region, there were 724,000 clean pig slaughterings in England and Wales in November, 19,000 in Scotland and 167,000 in Northern Ireland.
Pigmeat production was 85,000 tonnes, 3.6% lower than in November 2022. This compared with 76,000t in September and 83,000t in October.
A total of 20,000 sows and boars were slaughtered in November, 7% up on November 2022.