startinghandle
Member
Listening to radio 2 now and there is 100,000 unsold pigs in uk because of brexit and covid
100,000 unsold pigs
- Thread starter startinghandle
- Start date
- Location
- Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Mainly Covid. Backing up with all processors
Right now is a very very stressful time for all pig farmers
Cull sow prices are through the floor and culd be more due to Brexit and Germany controlling the market for the 5th Quarter
Farmers are hurting because feed prices and straw prices are climbing
Right now is a very very stressful time for all pig farmers
Cull sow prices are through the floor and culd be more due to Brexit and Germany controlling the market for the 5th Quarter
Farmers are hurting because feed prices and straw prices are climbing
Johnnyboxer
Member
- Location
- Yorkshire
Just shows how quickly the job can change, sadly
- Location
- Out in the Sticks
Ouch!
- Location
- Carmarthenshire, West Wales
And if George Eustice's animal transport reg's go through, no one would be moving any animals at the moment, as it is less than 5 degrees C
serf
Member
- Location
- warwickshire
How is this affecting the B&B pigs , surely the pig owners ever how big a comp can't take the hit for much longer without having to renege on contract price that they have promised the B&B farmers !
Scouse eater
Member
We feel quite sorry for farmers at the moment. Seems like it doesn't matter what you do the govt or weather or markets slice into your profits. Would it be possible to butcher your own pigs and sell the meat direct to the public, or would that cost a fortune to set up? I suppose the regulations on slaughtering and health and safety would be a big hassle as well....
Pigken
Member
- Location
- Co. Durham
Regulations stop you slaughtering and butchering for sale unless lots of boxes ticked etc. Lot of smaller slaughter houses now not able to do pigs as with camera system that came in the stun box has to have camera on, £8000.
Some pigs were going across to Ireland for slaughter but as has been said its the slaughtering capacity been compromised.
And surely @startinghandle you know by now not to believe much of Mr. Jeremy Vine.
After thought you not caught up with pigs are you?
Is this why your asking about bankruptcy?
We have a moderate-sized pig unit. We aim to sell.180-200 pigs per week, 51 weeks a year. That's enough for approximately 44000 average Britons. So while probably technically possible, it's not exactly straightforward.
We could easily get a couple of carcases done at our local abattoir, but tbh, I have rather more pressing things to do with my time. (Like post on here.
)
- Location
- Carmarthenshire, West Wales
50 years ago (1970) there were 1900 small abattoirs, now I believe there are only 62 left, so I don't think there would be the capacity. This is partly due to the law of unintended consequences of government regulations. When I was in New Zealand (35 years ago), I was on a dairy farm in Taranaki and they had a cull cow slaughtered in the field (HIAB on the back of the truck to hoist the cow up to bleed/chop up) then taken off to the chiller.
Grassman
Member
- Location
- Derbyshire
Thats the pig job for you. Boom then bust. Boom then bust.
Suffolk Serf
Member
- Location
- Bury/Thetford
Most people in the pig job try to mitigate risk a lot now. Just that every now and then something unexpected comes and bites you on the arse- disease in the herd, disease in Germany, disease in humans, bureaucracy, etc. Separately we could manage but all together is quite a challenge.
Mad For Muck
Member
- Location
- Midlands
Also interested to know this especially as we’re about to put in for planning for a new unit.
Johnnyboxer
Member
- Location
- Yorkshire
Simple really
No money at top end = No money at the bottom end
- Location
- Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
That isn't quite how it can work with contract B&B
Don't forget the processors at the top can also have a margin and sales volume to bolster their overall returns
Johnnyboxer
Member
- Location
- Yorkshire
If the top end (big pig farmers or integrated pig processors) is beginning to lose money, then they will reduce returns to the B&B men, in the fullness of time (if it's a longterm thing and not just a blip)
Big pig farmers with satellite B&B men, won't have big margins to sub the job, like a producer/processor
'Holding hands and in it together', would lead to some full and frank discussions
puntabrava
Member
- Location
- Wiltshire
They always said they pig job is either just entering into a recession or just coming out of one’.
edit, ahh someone beat me to it.
Pigken
Member
- Location
- Co. Durham
Surely there can be very little reduction in b and b price. Most large players have x number of weaners going from their breeding units weekly. They then go to nursery units, some will fatten to some not, few variations. But would be very short sighted veiw of pig owner to drop price by even 50 pence a week. That soon adds up. And people will move to competitors. Can think of 5 large pig breeders near ish to here that would all move into take another ones b and b places. Point been they are long term that have some resistance built into their systems. One large breeder supplying straw to some at present to make sure pigs clean enough meet rt standards to some b and b places with poor harvests or little bought in straw. How long they can sustain these prices different matter. Be interesting to see.