Currently UK producers are losing £16 per pig, although UK pig prices are very slowly increasing from a low of 117p/kg. This is a much different story from two years ago when producers were enjoying prices around 164p/kg. But this is typical of the pig cycle – highs followed by lows.

Richard Bull of Taurus Concepts Ltd has worked in the UK industry for many years and he has been kept busy recently speaking to farmers about becoming more efficient, as sadly UK producers are nearly bottom of the world ”league table” in terms of productivity. Sadly, the guys who would benefit most from some advice (generally Mr. Average Producer), feel they can’t afford time away from the ”Pigface” – a classic case of being unable to see the wood for the trees. Bull tells producers that he had nothing earth shattering to say, but reminds everyone about the basics of pig production and revisits what might be thought of as obvious operational aspects that are taken for granted but which shouldn’t be. The business should be looked at in terms of optimising output through numbers sold and the weight at slaughter.

Costs must be scrutinized carefully to see what savings can be made, but false economies can occur if you are not careful. Labour is often reduced in tough times but this may be unwise. Cutting staff can mean routines get missed and output suffers, so in fact shedding staff is a false economy. Conversely, given the large litters that current genotypes produce it can be cost effective to spend more time in the farrowing house to ensure that the maximum number of piglets are born alive and are also helped to survive. Feed accounts for 60-70 per cent of production costs and so this is a soft target. There can be a big temptation to cut the cost – and quality — for example, finisher rations. This may backfire as growth rate, FCR and lean meat percentage may suffer as a consequence. Cheap feed can be expensive. Feed lines need to be checked for leakages of feed, which ends up just feeding vermin, which in themselves take time and cost (bait) to eradicate. Feed hoppers need to be correctly adjusted to prevent waste plus slats near the feeders need to have covers over them to stop feed going down the slats into the slurry pit. Veterinary costs must be scrutinised. It might be tempting to stop using certain vaccines but the long term effects in reduced performance will far outweigh the costs of the vaccinations.

Long term, new buildings will pay for themselves in terms of better performance. Changing breeding stock may well be cost effective, carried out in conjunction with a total depopulation and re- stock of the unit. Plus the performance of pigs in a clean unit after a restock is always better than that achieved in a dirty facility.

EMPTY DAYS

Looking at UK national data it would appear that the farrowing indices quoted are below what should be possible. The herd culling policy of course affects the number of empty days and when it’s costing £2.50 per non-productive day in feed alone, sows and gilts not in pig or lactating are an expensive liability. In discussion it turns out that producers all have different policies regarding culling. This should be done soon after weaning or after the sow returns for a second time. Some producers wait until they have a reasonable batch for the pig wagon, but the cost of feeding these animals may outweigh the cost of taking those sows to market or the slaughter house. In the aftermath of PMWS in the UK many units switched from weekly farrowing to batch farrowing, to give bigger time gaps between groups of weaners. With batch farrowing, returns can be more of a problem, which also increases the number of empty days.

MARKETING

It’s vital that the producer has a contract that suits his or her pigs, to maximize returns. One contract will take pigs up to 100kg deadweight, but only pays up to 95kg, so the producer is feeding for an extra 5kg for nothing. Hence a little more time spent on selecting pigs for slaughter so that pigs are not going into the overweight category is time well spent. Many producers eyeball their finishing pigs to estimate the weight and it’s a good idea when marking pigs up is to first put a few pigs through the weigh crate, in order “to get your eye in.”

COMPUTER MODELING

Bull has developed a very ingenious computer model which includes a “What if” facility. This shows dramatically how small changes in performance can drastically improve – or reduce – profitability. However, the tool is only as good as the data that’s inputted –rubbish in — rubbish out! Putting in the wrong data is pointless – who are we kidding? Bull recently gave three talks in one week to producer groups. He is certainly in demand and his presentations have been well received, which is gratifying to him. “If I can help keep producers in business then I’m well satisfied. Producers should be heartened to know that just small changes can make big differences,” he said.

The UK biennial two day Pig & Poultry Fair has just taken place and despite all the anticipated gloom and doom attendance was better than expected. Mick Sloyan is Strategy Director, AHDB Pork (formerly BPEX) and he highlighted the current poor price situation adding that demand for pork in the UK is facing considerable competition from other meats, along with retailers moving more too regular low prices rather than special offers. Price competition is very fierce as the small discounter chains such as Lidl and Aldi have taken a lot of business away from the UK Big Four supermarkets. Anti- farming activist groups are very clever at using social media to publicise animal welfare issues and this undoubtedly influences people’s eating habits, especially youngsters.

A recent highly acclaimed TV promotion focusing on Pulled Pork has stimulated sales and impacted positively on consumer attitudes. The “5th quarter”, which traditionally ended up in a waste bin is now a valued export, with substantial amounts going to China, where for example ears sell at £2.70/kg. Phil Woodall is a blunt talking Yorkshire man and general manager of the Thames Valley Cambac Marketing Group. Addressing producers at the Pig Fair Forum, Woodall said that unit output needed to improve and that producers would benefit from pushing up carcase weights. Investment in better finishing accommodation is also needed.

“The UK still imports around 50 per cent of its pig meat so there is great scope to reduce these, but don’t expect the retailers to necessarily support British product as competition is cut – throat between the Big Four supermarkets,” cautioned Woodall.

The number of exhibitors for the 2016 edition stood at 350, an all-time high, which is very encouraging, although this does include the poultry companies. Naturally a number of new products were on show, but as its Euro Tier this November then the best new offerings will be kept back until then. The link up of JSR genetics and Topigs has resulted in the launch of a new hyper prolific dam line, the JSR 9T.

The UK still suffers from a low litter size so it will be very interesting to see how this new line performs. Building company A M Warkup is the UK agent for the Electrostatic Particle Ionization (EPI) air system, imported from the USA.

According to AMW, this system sprays up to a thousand trillion charged ions every second into the air. This removes dust particles and gases and research would also indicate a reduction in pathogens as well.

Attendees at the event seemed remarkably upbeat, despite the current low prices. Then again those still in pigs in the UK have learnt to take the rough with the smooth, are pretty resilient and are in for the long haul. •

— By Norman Crabtree