April clean pig throughputs the lowest since 2014

In the latest data release of UK slaughterings and production, Defra have made revisions from January 2021 onwards, while also updating the methodology from April 2023.

Although small adjustments have been made to the annual production volumes for the past 2 years (2021 +3,000 tonnes, 2022 -4,000 tonnes), the most significant revisions have been made to the monthly slaughter patterns for both clean pigs and sows and boars. For both years, the record high clean pig kill seen in March has been significantly lowered, with noticeable declines in the September and November figures also. Meanwhile figures for May and October have been increased. These changes have led to only a minor change in the full year throughput in 2021 (+1,000 head), however for 2022 these changes have lowered the years total throughput by 47,000 head.

Sow and boar kill figures have generally been revised upwards, with only a few months being an exception across the 2 years. The revisions bring the 2 years more inline with one another and show a significant increase compared to previous years, which is to be expected after the challenges the industry has been facing.

Looking at 2023 data, the revisions have increased clean pig slaughter for Q1 by 11,000 head to 2.53 million head, in line with our Agri-market outlook, and have increased sow and boar kill by 9,000 head to 64,000 head. This has led to a marginal uplift in pigment production of 2,000 tonnes, which remains down year on year by 11%.

April Production

Figures for April stand at 765,400 head of clean pigs slaughtered, the lowest monthly figure since 2014, and 17,800 head of sows and boars with pig meat production totalling 70,900 tonnes, the lowest monthly figure since May 2020 when the UK was in lockdown.

For the year to date (Jan-Apr) this brings total clean pig kill to just short of 3.3million head, 10% below this time last year, alongside sow and boar kill which stands at 81,500 head. Pig meat production has totalled 305,300 tonnes so far in 2023, 13% down on the first 4 months of 2022.

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