We get yet another interesting insight into the condition of Britain's pigs relative to those elsewhere,
Defra's veterinarians have been acknowledging problems with pig health and here we have some crude statistics from BPEX, the pig levy organisation.
Britain has fewer pigs born and weaned per sow than the average of the EU, and much less than Denmark and the Netherlands, and the gap is still widening.
Now, we don't think British farmers are less attentive or skilled, or the pigs genetically inferior, which leaves a big question mark over health issues.
Full BPEX news report here
Wean More Pigs to Be More Profitable
...It should be acknowledged that, with 40% of the British breeding herd outdoors, the industry average is not perfectly comparable with other EU countries. But the numbers of pigs born and weaned have still only increased by around half a pig per sow per year on British units since 2006. Meanwhile, other countries have continued to increase their performance by at least two pigs...
