UK clean pig slaughterings in September, at 855,000 head, were up 5.2% on the September 2023 figure of 813,000, according to Defra’s latest slaughter statistics.
The weekly average of 200,000 head for September was up from 197,000 head in August, but was lower than the July figure of 209,000, although the reliability of that figure was questioned at the time.
September sow and boar slaughterings were down 0.6% year on year at 18,000, but this remained above the July and August figures.
UK pigmeat production in September, at 79,000 tonnes, was also 5.2% up year on year, according to the Defra figures. Carcase weights averaged 89.8kg in September, up from 89.5kg in August.
The questions that have hung over these figures for a few months due to data errors appear to have been resolved.
The figures tally with AHDB’s estimated GB slaughterings for September – which were revised upwards by around 3,000 per week on the back of Defra’s UK figures). The weekly estimates were, on average, 9,000 head per week above year-earlier figures during the month, a difference of about 5.8%.
Estimated GB slaughterings for the week ended October 5, at 165,200 head, were, however, 3,000 below the same week last year and 24,000 below the 2022 figure.