In the first quarter, we recorded a decline in the herd population by over 670,000 animals, while in the second quarter, the number of pigs increased by over 477,000 animals, according to the analysis by Gobarto Hodowca based on data from the Agency for Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture from June 30, 2024. The results of the second quarter influenced the overall balance of the half-year. , which unfortunately is still in the red – 193,000 people have lost their lives in our country since the beginning of the year. pieces of cattle. However, over the last 1.5 years, the population seems to have stabilized with a slight tendency to increase – on December 31, 2022, there were 8,899,670 pigs on farms.
A pig in every pen?
The second quarter of 2024 brought a slowdown in the decline in the number of herds, which amounted to less than 0.8%. Herd numbers decreased by 2.9% in the first quarter.
In the first half of 2024, population declines were recorded in all herds in terms of size except the smallest microherds of 1-5 animals. However, in total they added less than 1,000 cattle.
Certainly, the incentive to increase the maintenance of small herds of pigs and even individual animals was the relaxation of biosecurity regulations, which have been significantly reduced if meat from these pigs is not placed on the market but is used only for personal use. In addition, there are low grain prices, and therefore reasonable feeding costs, and we have a good economic situation for the so-called keeping pigs in a pen.
What the so-called does not have to micro herd?
We have often mentioned on farmer.pl that the abolition of the requirements is another factor facilitating the spread of the ASF virus in pig herds. Even more so after many years of restrictions and raising standards in domestic pig herds. Among other things, unauthorized persons were allowed to enter production premises, and the obligation to wash hands (!) and clean footwear used when working with animals was abolished. Ultimately, the issue of what constitutes "subsistence farming" has not yet been resolved. Originally, it was obvious and concerned the above-mentioned 10 fattening pigs per year. Ultimately, however, the possibility of breeding in such a herd was allowed, and the regulation itself does not specify limits on the number of animals kept!
Medium-sized farms are disappearing
The largest population decline since the beginning of the year was recorded in large herds of 101-1000 animals. It amounted to over 70,000 pieces.
In terms of the number of herds, in the first half of 2024, the largest losses occurred in those breeding 21-30 pigs (468 liquidated farms) and 51-100 pigs (521 liquidated farms). There were 404 farms breeding 1 to 5 pigs and 10 farms breeding more than 1,000 pigs. This is a signal that large professional farms are more resistant to market turmoil and can constitute a stable investment for farmers.
– Pig producers in Poland have been reassured by the almost two-year period of making money on pig fattening and the mood is so good that in the second quarter there were almost 0.5 million pigs in pigsties – says Piotr Karnas, director of pig development at Gobarto Breeder. – Of course, this is at the expense of increased imports of weaners from Denmark, because the Polish basic herd of less than 600,000 units of sows is not able to rebuild the number of fattening pigs on the domestic market so quickly. Import of weaners from Denmark ranges from 6 to 7 million pieces per year. Only in 2023 it amounted to 6.7 million pieces, adds Karnas and warns against another decline. – Just 2-3 months ago, we also had a stabilized situation with ASF. Now, after 12 outbreaks in pig herds as of July 4 in areas of high production concentration, a minus correction of the herd can be expected – he sums up.
