UK pig production starting to stabilise
The latest Defra figures reveal pig slaughterings for May were up on same period last year, AHDB Pork has reported.
Figures were up to 863,000 head, however, according to AHDB Pork, if a change in reporting periods is considered the latest figure in fact represents a 0.5% fall in slaughtering levels from May 2015.
The decline in slaughterings may start to provide a tightening of supplies that will further support the UK pig price, which has been recovering slowly since April, AHDB Pork added.
Meanwhile, in addition to fewer pigs coming forward to slaughter, the average carcase weight fell in May, to 81.3kg, which is the first time this year that the average carcase weight has fallen below 82kg. This moves it back to similar levels of May 2015.
Sow slaughterings continued to be ahead of 2015 levels, at 20,700 head, supporting the expectation of a contraction in the breeding herd, resulting in a tightening of supplies in the future.
AHDB Pork suggests that some of this tightening may already be being experienced, with adjusted production levels down modestly by 0.3% in May, on the same period a year earlier.
AHDB Beef and Lamb appoint new head of domestic marketing
Meatup 2017 website goes live
