Despite less pork sold on promotion, cuts to the base price has meant that the average price has slowly fallen over the year and now lies almost 7% down on 2013 levels. Lower prices have supported sales to some extent, with some switching in consumer shopping baskets from beef and lamb to pork. However, overall volume sales for the latest 12-week period have fallen on last year. Chicken remains the cheapest meat and has attracted consumers seeking financial savings away from other meats. Higher volume sales of leg joints have been the key driver behind the increase in roasting joint volumes, driven by price promotions from one of the major retailers. Shoulder joints have also performed well, while sales of loin and belly have both pulled back over the year. Sales of pork belly have been consistently falling since March, despite little change in price. Although from a relatively small base, sales of pork mince have shown some of the largest growth of all pork products. Over the last two years, volume sales of pork mince have increased by over 40%, in part due to its relative cost in comparison to beef. For the 12-week period to 9 November, the average price of pork mince was almost 15% less than beef mince Pork mince is soaring Number: 13 January 2015 The Pink Pages Source: Defra UK weekly clean pig slaughterings Sources of pig meat consumed in the UK Comparison of UK and EU pig reference prices Source: AHDB Market Intelligence, EU Commission Source: Defra, HMRC GB average retail pork carcase price and DAPP Source: AHDB Market Intelligence The average reference price for exporters to the UK is a weighted average based on the percentage of UK pork imports originating from each member state. Facts and Fig ures Source: Defra Go to: http://www.bpex.org.uk/prices-facts-figures/consumption/tnsmeatmarketsummary.aspx
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Despite less pork sold on promotion, cutsto the base price has meant that the average price has slowly fallen over the yearand now lies almost 7% down on 2013 levels.
Lower prices have supported sales to
some extent, with some switching in consumer shopping baskets from beef andlamb to pork. However, overall volume salesfor the latest 12-week period have fallen onlast year. Chicken remains the cheapestmeat and has attracted consumers seeking
financial savings away from other meats. Higher volume sales of leg joints have
been the key driver behind the increase inroasting joint volumes, driven by price promotions from one of the major retailers.Shoulder joints have also performed well,
while sales of loin and belly haveboth pulled back over the year.Sales of pork belly have been consistently falling since March,despite little change in price.
Although from a relatively smallbase, sales of pork mince haveshown some of the largest growthof all pork products. Over the lasttwo years, volume sales of porkmince have increased by over 40%,in part due to its relative cost incomparison to beef. For the 12-week period to 9 November, theaverage price of pork mince wasalmost 15% less than beef mince
Pork mince is soaring
Number: 13 January 2015
The Pink Pages
Source: Defra
UK weekly clean pig slaughterings
Sources of pig meat consumed in the UK
Comparison of UK and EU pig reference prices
Source: AHDB Market Intelligence, EU Commission
Source: Defra, HMRC
GB average retail pork carcase price and DAPP
Source: AHDB Market Intelligence
The average reference price for exporters to the UK is a weighted average based on the percentage of UK pork imports originating from each member state.
Fact
s an
d Fi
g ure
s
Source: Defra
Go to: http://www.bpex.org.uk/prices-facts-figures/consumption/tnsmeatmarketsummary.aspx
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Outdoor producer Mike Clarke is trialling LEDlighting in service huts and dry sow arcs tosee if it helps reduce seasonal infertility. Mikesays: “Seasonal infertility is something thatseems to affect most producers every yearnow. Indoor producers can try and overcome itby using lighting but most outdoor units can’tdo that as not many have access to power.
“As we do have access to power in closeproximity to our unit, I approached BPEX witha view to doing a trial and after discussion weagreed it would be worthwhile.”
The service area is split into four pens andthe artificial lighting has been installed in the
service huts in one of those pens. “Light isbeing generated by LEDs,which is relatively new technology and allows usto do it without using hugeamounts of energy.”
Once service has beencompleted the sows go into the dry sow tent so25% of sows will be inthere. There are six floodlights in there, each30 watts. They’re theequivalent of a 300 watt
halogen light in terms of power usage andMike is hoping to get about 180 to 200 lux inthe tent.
"The sows will remain in there until sevenweeks post service and they'll be pregnancyscanned."
“We’ll then be able to compare the results ofthese pigs with our other three pens and seewhether results are positive or negative.”
The lights come on at 7am and remain onright through until 10pm. They come on instages to try to simulate ‘progressive’ light; the outside lights come on first and the ones atthe back second
LED lighting trial in dry sow arcs
Go to:http://www.bpex.org.uk/R-and-D/funding/studentships/students.aspx
To view a video of Mike Clarke explaining the project, go to: http://www.bpex.org.uk/2TS/innovationfund/currentprojects.aspx#LEDLighting
• Hoping to reduce seasonal infertility
• Has access to power on outdoor unit
• Using 30 watt LED lights
• Aiming for 180 to 200 lux
• Lights are on from 7am to 10pm
Pig research project insights News in pictures
A picture is worth a thousand words so BPEXoften publishes short photo stories online toreport on its activities in a concise, digestibleway. The stories range from producer studytour highlights to field trial updates, trainingsessions and practical on-farm case studies
To view the growing library of stories, go to: http://www.bpex.org.uk/news/photo-library/photostories/default.aspx
The BPEX website has a section introducingthe PhD students who are sponsored tocarry out in-depth scientific research into pig production issues. Projects range from investigating novel ways to diagnose diseaseto improving sow udder quality traits andfrom overcoming light pig syndrome to reducing light pig syndrome.
They generally run for three years, with regular opportunities during that time for the
PhD students to discuss progress both withtheir peers and BPEX to help ensure projectscover all relevant questions. On completion, anumber of students to date have secured jobsin the pig industry, where they have continued to contribute in a variety of roles.
Individual profiles on the website give briefinsights into the students’ backgrounds andproject aims, with links to more detailed information
Keep knowledge up to date
It’s worth reviewing training needs among pigunit staff at the beginning of the year andhaving a look at what training courses andactivities are available. Skilled, enthusiasticpeople are the most important part of a successful pig business and everyone shouldbe encouraged to take part in continuous professional development (CPD).
There is a variety of CPD activity from training courses to attending pig club
‘In-house’ training,which producers provide to staff onfarm, can also contribute to CPD.There are details ofBPEX trainingcourses and workshops availablein its Training Calendar 2014/15.
In-house trainingsessions could include training staffon the unit’s standard
operating procedures (SOP) or using theBPEX Practical Pig App. All of these can be registered as training sessions so participants can earn Pig Industry Professional Register (PIPR) points. Producers themselves can become registeredPIPR trainers – to ensure they get credit forall the training and development they do.
PIPR is the pig industry’s own CPDscheme, established to recognise
professionalism and encourage lifelong learning to build on the existing skills in thepig industry. Members collect points throughskills and knowledge acquisition both on-farm and through external trainingproviders. PIPR provides a record of achievement, independently accredited andrecognised industry wide. It’s a practical wayto help recognise and reward CPD, which is akey part of the pig industry’s skills strategy ‘Recruit, Retain, Reward’. It can also help producers provide a record of the trainingthey do to comply with the recommendationsof assurance schemes
Training and development activities include:
• Courses
• Workshops
• Attending conferences
• Online quizzes
• Webinars
• Using the BPEX Practical Pig App.
BPEX pig clubs, producer workshops and training courses are running from January toJune around the country.
The knowledge transfer team’s local events programme this season covers topics including: benchmarking, sow nutrition, smallpig management, improving growth feed conversion ratio and building efficiency.
Plus, there are national pig industry conferences including the AHDB Outlook conference in February, which looks at global
markets and economic challenges for all livestock sectors, and the BPEX InnovationConference in May.
Event details and contacts are available onthe BPEX online events map. The map iscolour-coded and searchable by event type,region or date and details of each event canbe saved directly to an Outlook calendar.
Anyone in the industry can also submit details of their own events or discussiongroups to add to the calendar
Go to: www.bpex.org.uk/events/eventsmap/
Find nearby pig events
Pig Productio
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To watch the presentations, go to http://www.bpex.org.uk/events/conferences/Producer/default.aspx
To view the BPEX Training Calendar, go to: www.bpex.org.uk/2TS/Training/ For details about PIPR and how to register, go to: www.pipr.org.uk
Presentations and podcasts of all the speakers at the BPEX Regional ProducerEvents are available to catch up with online.The programme featured presentations onhow to improve key aspects of pig productionmanagement at every stage of the cycle, frominsemination through to sale, in order toimprove the pig meat output for every squaremetre of the unit.
The events identified key aspects of pigmanagement from breeding through to finishing where changes can be made to improve output. It requires a combination of a number of things; there’s no silver bullet.
The presentations and on-farm videofootage offer plenty of practical take-homemessages for people who work with pigs dayto day.
In the breeding herd, the speakers coveredwhat makes the biggest difference to weanedpig quality and how to manage the small pigat weaning.
The ‘growth challenge’ in the finishing herdwas also addressed and the programme concluded with a discussion of the costs perkg of pig meat produced and the importanceof routine data collection and analysis
BPEX is a division of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board.
Meat played a significant part in the diet of early humans
To find out more, go to: http://meatandhealth.redmeatinfo.com/meat-the-experts/meat-advisory-panel-%28map%29.aspx
BPEX new marketing campaign for pulled pork
To find out more, go to: www.lovepork.co.uk
For more information
Tel: 0247 647 8811
www.bpex.org.uk
Work has already started on the new BPEXmarketing campaign for pulled pork, due tolaunch at the end of April.
Some consumer publications can work upto four months ahead, so the team has already started to reach out to those in influential publications.
The marketing team will be arranging the
delivery of a hamper so journalists can cookpulled pork themselves to see both how easyand how tasty it is.
BPEX marketing communications manager Jane Charlesworth said: “The hamper will include a piece of quality porkshoulder, ingredients and booklet to explainwhat the campaign is trying to achieve –
including variations of pulled pork recipes fordifferent cuisines.
“The activity’s aim is to engage these influential journalists, demonstrate how delicious and easy pulled pork is and for themto write about it in the future.”
Pulled pork rolls
The answers to today’s health woes could befound in the diets of our 10,000 year old ancestors, says dietitician Dr Carrie Ruxton.
A paper by Dr Ruxton has been published in a leading health magazine, Complete Nutrition,which explores man’s ancestral diets and howthey compare with modern eating habits.
Dr Ruxton, a member of the Meat AdvisoryPanel, which is supported by BPEX, examinedwhen man’s ancestors first moved over to anomnivorous diet and then more closely examined the Palaeolithic diet with comparisons to today.
Comparatively recently, dietary changes haveoccurred but in too short a time for the human
genome to adapt, which couldexplain the high levels of certain diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, Type 2diabetes and cancer.
Carrie said: “There is clearevidence that man evolved asan omnivore. Animal productswere a significant part of thediet of early humans and wereinextricably linked with subsequent changes in brainsize and the acquisition ofskills.
“Later dietary shifts towards a largely cereal-baseddiet are believed to have happened too quickly for ourgenome to adapt successfully,increasing the risk of non-communicable diseases.
She said: “Red meat is oftenhighlighted as a risk factor inobservational studies. But despite consuming far moremeat than would be recommended in Westerncountries, [hunter gatherer societies] have a far lower incidence of such conditions.”
