Inside Pigs
Danes further expand sow herd
The pig population in Denmark seems to be heading for further growth. Although the total number of pigs counted on Danish farms on 1 July 2021 was about the same as a year earlier, significantly more sows were kept.
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This is evident from the quarterly census of the Danish Agricultural Organization (L&F). The total number of pigs kept in Denmark increased by 8.000 heads (+0,1%) to 13.170.000 heads. However, according to L&F, this does not mean that the growth of the Danish pig herd is over.
The stable figures are somewhat distorted by a decrease in the number of fattening pigs. This has to do with the fact that a number of slaughterhouses in Denmark were closed at this time last year due to corona issues. As a result, there were more fattening pigs on Danish farms at the time. The renewed increase in the number of sows suggests that pork production will continue to grow in the coming year.
A lot more sows
On July 1, 25.000 more sows were present on Danish farms than a year earlier. That means a plus of 2,0%. The number of gilts rose even faster, which may mean a further acceleration of the growing sow herd in the future. The number of breeding sows increased by 4,4% to 423.000.
The number of fattening pigs on July 1 was slightly lower than a year earlier. The number of animals heavier than 50kg decreased by 2,0% to 3.004.000 animals. Last year, pigs for slaughter remained on the farms longer due to limited processing capacity in the slaughterhouses. The shrinkage in this category distorts the picture of the general trend in which direction the Danish pig herd is moving. If the shrinkage in this category is not taken into account, the pig herd in Denmark has grown by 0,7% compared to last year, according to L&F.