Foot and Mouth restrictions have caused a huge backlog of pigs which means average slaughter weights are now some 3kg higher.

Pigs weighing more than 80kg now account for half of all pigs in the DAPP sample.

Normally they would account for about a third of throughput, according to the latest edition of Pig Market Trends published last week.

Combined with plentiful supplies of lower priced imports and the need to absorb pork shoulder meat on the domestic market, this has limited the potential for any real improvement in producer prices.

For most producers production is unsustainable at the current price of just under 110p per kg.

Pig Market Trends also includes the latest forecast for UK pig meat supplies based on a further contraction in the breeding herd in 2008 - this could mean that clean pig slaughterings in 2009 will be the lowest for over 50 years.

Pig Market Trends is a monthly publication produced by MLC Economics' team of analysts, focusing on developments in the pig industry both at home and abroad.

Annual subscriptions start at £50 - for further details and to subscribe, contact Jayne Dines on 01908 844396.

Computer Model For Pig Producers
Move To Suspend Pig Levy
Avoid Temptation to Retain Old Sows