Pig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • 2025 Buildings supplement
    • February 2025
    • 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • August 2024
    • 2024 Pig Health supplement
    • July 2024
    • June 2024
    • Innovation supplement 2024
    • Pig & Poultry Fair Guide 2024
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • Buildings Supplement
    • March 2024
    • Pig Nutrition (Beyond Zinc)
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • National Pig Awards Supplement 2023
    • October 2023
    • September 2023
    • Health Supplement
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
Podcast
Pig WorldPig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    1. May 2025
    2. April 2025
    3. March 2025
    4. 2025 Buildings supplement
    5. February 2025
    6. 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    7. January 2025
    8. December 2024
    9. November 2024
    10. National Pig Awards supplement
    11. October 2024
    12. September 2024
    13. August 2024
    14. 2024 Pig Health supplement
    15. July 2024
    16. June 2024
    17. Innovation supplement 2024
    18. Pig & Poultry Fair Guide 2024
    19. May 2024
    20. April 2024
    21. Buildings Supplement
    22. March 2024
    23. Pig Nutrition (Beyond Zinc)
    24. February 2024
    25. January 2024
    26. December 2023
    27. November 2023
    28. National Pig Awards Supplement 2023
    29. October 2023
    30. September 2023
    31. Health Supplement
    Featured

    May 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    May 1, 2025
    Recent

    May 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    May 1, 2025

    April 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    April 4, 2025

    March 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    March 6, 2025
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
LinkedIn X (Twitter)
Pig World
Comment

Yesterday

Peter CrichtonBy Peter CrichtonNovember 4, 20173 Mins Read
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

Although all our troubles used to be so far away, but currently there are several challenges facing pig producers especially over the Christmas period.

The SPP continues its downward path, losing another 1.05p to stand at 156.03p, but fortunately German bacon and cull sow prices have remained at stand on levels rather than dropping again.

The German producer price for a bacon pig of 1.45 EUR works out at a mere 1.29p in our money which is around 25p adrift of the UK price, but makes cheap imported cuts and joints look extremely competitive and good value to consumers.

Most weekly contribution prices remain under pressure with prices down by up to 2p, but with virtually all pigs being sold on contract, there was very little evidence of much activity in the spot market where one-off loads of spot bacon pigs if space allowed were worth in the 135p to 140p region.

Despite the recent interest rate rise, the £ has remained under a certain amount of pressure and the Euro traded worth 89p on Friday compared with 88.65p a week ago. But this slight improvement in the value of the Euro was not enough to stimulate UK cull sow exporters to increase their prices which remain very low in the 70-73p region.

Weaner prices have to some extent defied gravity as far as the AHDB averages are concerned, with the 30kg ex-farm average up by £2.43 to £58.73/head and the 7kg average piglet price also headed north going up by £1.19 to £42.90/head. But very much of a two tier market has developed with a significant gap between Freedom Foods and Red Tractor.

Grain and protein prices have ended a fairly flat week and little changed, with UK ex-farm spot feed wheat trading in the £134/t region and on the futures market UK feed wheat deals were done at £139/t for November and £148.80/t for July next year.

Chicago soya bean futures fell last week due to much needed rains arriving in Brazil and with reports of a few UK farmers experimenting with growing their own crops of soya beans, it will be interesting to see if there is any further growth in this market which will certainly help to reduce ‘food miles’!

And finally, congratulations to Charlie Allen who was the worthy winner of the 2017 David Black Award earlier this week, which was richly deserved by this hard working ‘simple pig farmer’ as he describes himself.

For those looking to gather more gongs and medals, the National Pig Awards bun fight takes place this Monday, November 6 at the Lancaster Hotel in London where the good, the bad and the ugly in the industry will be in evidence. This popular event is certainly a good way to sign off what has so far been an eventful year and good in parts, with possibly some more challenges around the corner too!

Share. LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Previous ArticlePig producers urged to sign up to Safecall service
Next Article ABN working with AHDB Pork and pig producers to streamline data transfer to the eMedicine Book
Peter Crichton

Read Similar Stories

Vet View: Step back and look at your unit with external eyes

May 7, 2025

Comment: Pigs Tomorrow – shaping the future of the pig industry

May 5, 2025

Comment: All things Trump, tariffs and international trade

May 2, 2025
Latest News

MPs call on Government to delay IHT reforms until 2027

May 16, 2025

Government eases Germany foot-and-mouth disease controls

May 16, 2025

Q1 margins tighten further as pig prices fall and costs rise

May 15, 2025
Sponsored Content

THE GATEKEEPER OF RESPIRATORY HEALTH – MYCOPLASMA HYOPNEUMONIAE (M.HYO)

April 30, 2024

Tackle the root cause of PWD with free diagnostic tests

March 1, 2024
Current Pig Industry jobs
  • Pig Stockperson – Ref 1739 Devon

    • Devon
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Pig Stockperson – Ref 1738 Co. Fermanagh

    • County Fermanagh
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Stockperson

    • Swaffham, Norfolk
    • DYER LIVESTOCK LTD
    • Full Time
GETTING IN TOUCH
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Meet The Editors
  • About Us
  • Email Newsletters
  • Subscribe
  • Reuse permissions
OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
PARTNER EVENTS
RELATED SITES
  • Farmers Weekly
  • Agronomist & Arable Farmer
  • Farm Contractor
  • National Pig Awards
  • Pigs Tomorrow
  • Poultry News
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
© 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.