Uplift in carcase weight bolsters pig meat production

Defra’s latest production figures show the UK produced an estimated 84,400 tonnes of pig meat in September, back 0.2% (200 tonnes) on last month, and only slightly below volumes seen last September (300 tonnes).

Clean pig slaughter was an estimated 918,100 head in September, down 1.7% on August (16,000 head). Whilst down on last month, perhaps in part due to the shortened week due to the extra bank holiday, throughput was still marginally (0.3%) higher than in September 2021. Year to date, slaughter numbers are roughly in line with levels seen last year, while remaining 5% above the 5-year average.

In September, carcase weights of clean dressed pigs increased for the first time this year, averaging 88.7kg. This is an uplift of 1.2kg on the month. When compared with September 2021, average carcase weights have risen by 200g (0.3%).

Production for the year to date (Jan-Sept) has reached an estimated 787,600 tonnes, up 3.1% (24,000 tonnes) on the same period in 2021. With throughputs remaining relatively steady year on year, the growth is the result of the higher average carcase weights, pulled up by those at the beginning of the year.

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