Pig numbers in Eire fell through 10.4% to one,407,600 final 12 months, the bottom herd degree since 1991.
This represented a lack of 162,800, as, like a lot of Europe, the business shriveled in line with tough marketplace prerequisites in 2022.
The Central Statistics Place of business’s December 2023 survey additionally confirmed a zero.6% fall in breeding pig numbers to 126,800, the bottom degree since December 1988.
Sows in pig fell through 9,800 (-13.5%), however gilts in pig rose through 2,100 (+13.6%), suggesting indicators of breeding herd restoration.
‘Different pigs’ dropped through 162,100 (-11.2%) with completing pigs over 80kg appearing the biggest lower of 47,900, representing a fifteen% decline.
The survey additionally printed smaller contractions within the Irish livestock herd and sheep flock. Livestock numbers dropped through 25,900 (-0.4%) to six,526,000, whilst provisional sheep numbers are estimated at 3,995,000, a lower of 23,000 (-0.6%).