Low NI slaughter cuts UK pig throughput in August

By Bethan Wilkins

UK pig throughput fell back in August, with total slaughter at 889,400 head. This was 5% down compared with the same month in 2019. The shortfall was influenced by disruption at a Northern Ireland processing plant during the month. August 2020 also had one less week day than August 2019.

England and Wales throughput was down by 4% year-on-year, though a small decline like this is sensitive to the lost week day. Scottish throughput was still up by 1%. Meanwhile, the number of pigs that entered abattoirs in Northern Ireland came down by 12% on the year.

The number of sows and boars killed in August was down 1% on a year earlier. However, Defra’s survey response is still lower than usual. Caution is still needed over how numbers are split within species, as more FSA data is being used than normal, which may record animal type differently.

As has been the case all year, clean pig carcase weights were higher than a year earlier in August. On average, pigs were about 1.8kg heavier compared with the same month last year at 86.4kg. Ongoing improvements to genetic potential and raised upper weight limits in contracts have enabled producers to add extra weight to their pigs.

The net result was that pig meat production in August totalled 79,600 tonnes, 3% down on the previous year. Cumulative production for the first eight months was still 3% above 2019 levels at 641,300 tonnes.

Subscribe to receive pork market news straight to your inbox. Simply complete our online form.

While AHDB seeks to ensure that the information contained on this webpage is accurate at the time of publication, no warranty is given in respect of the information and data provided. You are responsible for how you use the information. To the maximum extent permitted by law, AHDB accepts no liability for loss, damage or injury howsoever caused or suffered (including that caused by negligence) directly or indirectly in relation to the information or data provided in this publication.

All intellectual property rights in the information and data on this webpage belong to or are licensed by AHDB. You are authorised to use such information for your internal business purposes only and you must not provide this information to any other third parties, including further publication of the information, or for commercial gain in any way whatsoever without the prior written permission of AHDB for each third party disclosure, publication or commercial arrangement. For more information, please see our Terms of Use and Privacy Notice or contact the Director of Corporate Affairs at info@ahdb.org.uk  © Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board. All rights reserved.