UK pigmeat production grew by 2.3% year-on-year in 2025 to 975,200 tonnes, driven by a combination of higher slaughter numbers and increased carcase weights, according to Defra slaughter figures.
December UK clean pig slaughterings were up 2.4% year on year at 872,000 head, with pork production up massive 6.5% up on December 2024, with average carcase more than 3kg higher at 91.7kg.
This took the total UK clean pig kill for 2025 to 10.39 million head, up 1.4% on 2024, despite Defra’s disputed June census figures suggesting a 3% drop in the UK pig breeding herd. However, the sow and boar kill has continued to decline as the population of breeding pigs contracts.
Breaking the total slaughter figure down into regions shows kill in England and Wales was up 1.0% at 8.2 million head, accounting for 79% of the UK total, according to AHDB analyst Freya Shuttleworth.
Northern Ireland’s kill was up 3% at 1.97 million head, 19% of UK numbers, while, slaughter in Scotland, which makes up 2% of the national total, recorded a marginal decline of 0.5% to 221,000 head.
Although slaughter numbers recorded annual growth, the key driver of pig meat production gains in 2025 was heavier carcase weights, with clean pig carcase weights averaging 90.9kg across 2025, up 1 kg from 2024.
There was significant variation within the year on carcase weights. In Q1 and Q4 2025, carcase weights were consistently above 91 kg, peaking at 92.4 kg in November. However, the prolonged period of hot weather from May to August caused average weights to drop below 90 kg in Q3, Ms Shuttleworth added.
“As we enter 2026, carcase weights are yet to show signs of easing, with record high weights being recorded in the weekly SPP sample. This will be a key consideration in our next Agri-Market Outlook, due for publication in February,” she said.