The Farmers Mart Feb/Mar 2014 - Issue 32 | Page 39

PIGS

BOOST FOR BRITISH PIG PRODUCERS
Britain is to start shipping pig semen
to China, in a deal worth millions to
the pig industry.
The deal was secured during David
Cameron’s recent trade visit to China,
which has half the world’s pigs. Improving
pig genetics is key to China as pig meat is
one of their main sources of protein.
Officials said the deal was worth
potentially £45 million a year to British
pig producers. Exports should start in the
spring.

The reason China is so interested in
British pigs, among other foreign semen
and breeds, is simple economics: our
pigs grow faster, have a lower fat-to-meat
ratio and higher reproduction rates than
their Chinese counterparts. UK breeders
have sows that could produce more than
30 piglets each year, while Chinese sows
bear fewer than 16. It takes about a year
for native Chinese pigs to reach slaughterweight. Our pigs take just five months.
China’s rapidly growing urban middleclass has developed a taste for pork and
demand for the meat is soaring.
MAJOR WELFARE ISSUES
But the selection of modern pig breeds
has led to a number of welfare issues,
says Compassion in World Farming, which
points to facts such as rapid growth rates
putting pressure on the heart and lungs to
keep up, more competition at the udder in
increased litter sizes and leaner animals
having a predisposition to tail biting. Add
to this the fact that sows in China are

almost certain to be kept in stalls - illegal
in the UK and across the EU, although far
from all EU members adhere to the law. In
addition, abattoirs in China hugely vary in
slaughter standards, but overall standards
are far lower, as China has little animal
welfare legislation.

‘Potentially £45 million
a year to British
pig producers’
Compassion in World Farming has just
launched its Good Pig award programme
in China. The aim is to persuade
companies to step up their animal welfare
standards to help producers benefit the
lives of pigs and other farm animals in
ways that also makes for improved food
quality and better business.
Given China’s abysmal record
across animal welfare, it does not look
promising.

Bolster Moor
products are
just champion!
A West Yorkshire farm shop is celebrating
after it took the Overall Champion title for
the north east at the Bpex Regional Pork
Product Excellence Awards Roadshow.
Huddersfield-based Bolster
Moor Farm Shop won the
speciality category with
its pork, mature cheddar
& red onion sausage and
won three other category
champion titles.
Simon Haigh, from the shop,
said: “Our pork pies and
sausages are our trademarks.
They deliver because we use
quality pork from a trusted
supplier. We also like to
innovate and follow culinary

trends, so that we can develop
new products that are a little
bit different from the norm,
which have real appeal to our
customers.
“As we supply local, highclass restaurants, we can keep
track of what the chefs are up
to and we take our inspiration
from them.
He added that the awards
were important because it gave
the shop a good reputation and
attracted new customers.

To read more, visit www.farmers-mart.co.uk

‘Winning awards boosts
our reputation &
attracts new business’
Bpex product marketing
manager Claire Holland
said she was “delighted”
with the 401 entries from
59 butchers, which is the
highest number of entries
since the roadshow started
10 years ago.

The Young Sausage
Maker title was taken by
24-year-old Michael Smith,
who left his previous job
as a car salesman to fulfil
his ambition to become a
butcher just three-and-a-half
years ago.

FarmersMart Feb/Mar 2014

39