Threats to the British pig industry from rocketing feed
costs and almost static prices are likely to continue says an independent report
just published.
The report predicts production costs could be as high as 180p per kg by 2010, compared with around 140p at present an average of 108p in 2006.
'Global feed commodities market, its impact on the British pig industry, and risk management strategies to mitigate this' has been commissioned by BPEX Ltd with independent contributions from ABN and Barclays.
Barclays' independent analysis highlights how supply chain collaboration such as fixed price contracts, or sales contracts linked to commodity prices, may help ease the risk faced by pig producers.
BPEX Chairman Stewart Houston said: “The report illustrates how the British pig industry remains under threat - without a price of 140p per kilogram pig producers will continue to suffer unsustainable losses. This will see British pig producers leaving the industry for good.”
To download a copy of the report, click here.
Marketing News
Pigs Are Worth It
Petition
This has now has reached more than 18,000 registered supporters earlier this week, and the pigometer is now over £118m.
Radio Stations Text Campaign
The list (on the BPEX website) gives text request numbers for over 200 radio stations across the country listed alphabetically by town. Please text your local stations to request that they play "Stand By Your Ham". Please Text the name of the radio station followed by "Please play Stand By Your Ham by the Flying Piglets" to the text number provided. Please forward the list on to anyone who you think might want to help http://smartstore.bpex.org.uk/index.asp?295336
Promotional Material
This is now available which includes an information leaflet with the pig cuts ad, a red car sticker and a 1metre long banner detailing the website, all available to order from 01908 844194 or on line at http://www.pigsareworthit.co.uk/merchandise.html
LiPs at Sainsburys
LiPs are carrying out in-store sampling of Fresh British Pork (mince, diced, chops) in four Sainsburys stores in the Midlands area this week. Another 12 are being held in May, in other regions.
Asda
From 14 April for four weeks, on all the fresh pork fixtures in Asda stores nationwide there will be tear-off British Pork recipe leaflets.
Knowledge Transfer
Tip of the Week - Small Weaners
At a straw-based nurseries meeting in Salisbury one unit passed on a good tip for dealing with small weaners when they arrive in big groups un-sized. Spray each small weaner as they come off the lorry, that way you can easily go in later and sort or pick out the marked ones to make up your smalls group(s).
Showing Staff How
Passing on practical instruction is an important role of most supervisors or managers. This event will help to create the ability to design and deliver practical instruction that they will remember. Best practice for common tasks can be established and consistent instruction used to set and maintain work standards.
The one day practical course includes: benefits of effective training, effective instruction, use of questions, correcting errors, breaking down the skill, learning methods, defining the objective, plan of instruction, instruction practice and feedback.
Taking part in this course will help list the benefits of effective training , identify the key steps in a practical skill, prepare an instruction plan from which to conduct a training session and give an effective piece of practical instruction.
Start: 10:00 Finish: 17:00 Venue: Express By Holiday Inn, Swindon-West M4, Jct.16, Frankland Road, Blagrove, Swindon. SN5 8UD.
For further information or to book a place, contact Tess Howe, BPEX Training Co-ordinator (07779 321 078).
Manure and Slurry Analysis
BPEX is a consortium member in a research project developing a rapid and lower cost system for analysing nutrient content of manures and slurries. The value of manures is now starting to be recognised by farmers with nitrogen fertiliser hitting £300/t and TSP (Triple super phosphate) over £500/t, if you can get it! Currently we are trying to collect a wide range of manure and slurry samples so that the equipment can be calibrated. If you have already agreed to supply samples and have not sent them off yet, we would appreciate you doing so. If you would be willing to participate then we would be pleased to hear from you, contact Nigel Penlington 01908 844276. We supply the sample bags and bottles and arrange for collection, keeping the whole process simple and straight forward.
Grower-Finisher Workshop
When: Tue, 29 Apr, 17:30 - 20:30 (refreshments provided)
Where: The Crown, Boroughbridge
Description: This is a BPEX workshop for stock people, facilitated by Hugh Crabtree from Farmex. This entertaining and interactive workshop will focus on good feeding herd management to improve performance and maximise profitability. To register call Lis Ravn on 0789 165 56784 or email lisbeth.ravn@bpex.org.uk
Getting to Grips with IPPC
BPEX would like to invite you to one of the spring workshops: Understanding and complying with an IPPC Permit.
The workshop will focus on the following areas: Environment Agency visits, understanding permit conditions, pollution inventory, improvement plans and what is BAT?
This is a great opportunity to ensure permit conditions are complied with, to meet, discuss issues and ask questions. The workshop will be led by Nigel Penlington of BPEX,and is for operating pig farms within the IPPC regime. The format is flexible to allow you to ask questions and improve your understanding.
23rd April, Richmond Park Golf Club, Thetford; 28th April, Earls Green, Stowmarket; 30th April, Hodnet. All have a 4.30 pm for a 5.00 pm start, finishing at approximately 7.00 pm with refreshments. To register contact Michelle Horan on 01908-844734.
Effective Training
Managers from the pig industry were posed a huge challenge at a recent staff development workshop when they were asked as a team to do some juggling.
This was the first task in what proved to be a stimulating and informative day on how to get the best out of your staff. The event was part of a series organised by BPEX and run by Cedar Associates at Topsham, Devon and Bodmin, Cornwall.
For many mangers in the pig industry the problem is finding the time for effective training, for others it is simply that their staff work much better under direct supervision. Either way, it reduces efficiency. The key points to come out of the workshop were the importance of setting good standards of practice, setting realistic targets, creating action plans, coaching and encouragement, and holding one to one meetings with staff members to understand them better and monitor their performance. Setting realistic targets can also help new staff understand quickly what is required of them. Juggling aside, everyone attending the day’s event agreed it was worthwhile and had given them some useful insights into how to develop and look after staff. The workshop was one of several BPEX is running across the country. To find out about future workshops or if you would like more information about staff development call Helen Thoday on 07973 701202 or Tess Howe on 07779 321078.
NADIS Latest – Creep Feeding
Reports from NADIS surveillance veterinary surgeons have recently highlighted some of the problems than can occur when creep feeding of piglets in farrowing houses goes wrong. The piglets’ gut at this stage is immature and any deficiencies in creep feed management can trigger scour problems. The following rules are worth emphasising:
Aim to maximise creep feed intake over the course of the sucking period – each piglet should receive a minimum of 600gm creep in total.
Offer from an early age on a ‘little and often’ basis. The frog of a house brick is a useful ‘container’ in which to provide creep.
Never allow creep to remain close to heat sources for more than 6-12 hours. Keep bags cool and closed.
Provide water with creep to encourage intake.
Withdraw creep if scour occurs, reintroducing gradually once resolved.
Scrupulous attention to hygiene is required at all times for both creep and water supplies.
National News:
We Want Pork
Pork leg and loin roasting joints are the stars in the latest sales figures which show overall increases of 10% for fresh and frozen pork over the last 12 weeks, according to figures produced by TNS for BPEX. In some retailers, leg roasting joints enjoyed a 33 per cent rise while loin roasting joints were up as much as 37 per cent. There was also a small increase in the value of the pork bought at retail and the number of households buying also rose slightly.
Help for Scottish Pig Sector
A Task Force will be set up immediately to alleviate the plight of Scotland's pig meat sector, Richard Lochhead has announced. Industry representatives will be appointed to a task force to examine the feasibility of proposals put to the Cabinet Secretary which could help ease pressure on the sector. Among the points to be considered by the task force are: introducing a vaccination programme for pig wasting disease; an audit of standards, transparency and labelling of imported pork; improved food labelling; and a support scheme for producers continuing in business.
The Cabinet Secretary has also asked the Farm Animal Welfare Council to report on welfare standards for pigmeat imports to Scotland.
International News:
Losing Millions on Pigs
In past three months Danish pig production has suffered its greatest loss ever. Since the turn of the year pig farmers have lost € 280 million. On every slaughter pig delivered to the slaughterhouses the pig farmers have on average lost € 47. The large deficit suffered by pig farmers is mainly due to the fact that prices for all types of feed have increased explosively as a consequence of tremendous increases in world market prices for grain.
Danish pig producers are expecting the situation will improve during the second half of the year and they even be making a small profit in the fourth quarter.
Record US Pig Losses
Losses on raising hogs are reaching record proportions, and could be as high as $60 per head come fall, according to Steve Meyer and Len Steiner, agricultural economists and authors of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange's Daily Livestock Report.
Losses in March were the third-worst on record, they said, at an estimated $39.49/head; only the losing spreads in November and December of 1998 were worse. Costs in March were an estimated $54.19/hundredweight live weight, eclipsing hog prices in March of $40.62/hundredweight live weight. Although cash prices are expected to rise over the next several months, costs could skyrocket to perhaps $80 to $85/hundredweight carcass weight, which "could result in losses of $60/head or more this fall," Meyer and Steiner write.
Sow slaughter rates in the U.S. and Canada are picking up, which will reduce the size of the breeding herd and support prices. However, it could be 12 to 18 months before those reductions work their way through the system and begin to have an effect on prices.
Export Report
A comprehensive report has been produced by the BPEX Export department looking at markets across the EU. Click here for more
International Prices:
Click here for the latest international prices