Future Danish pigs: Loose, green, and with intact tails

In September, the Danish sector for the production of pigs and pig meat presented their vision for the future of Danish pig and pig meat production. This is the sector’s response to society’s demands and sets out the measures to ensure that Danish pig and pig meat production maintains its position going forward. The vision underpins the unity of the sector and will ensure that it has a stronger voice in the development of future framework conditions.

In 1990, almost 30,000 Danish farmers kept pigs. By 2020, the number had declined to almost 3,000. For many sectors, this would be nothing less than a horror story. For Danish pig producers, this is testimony to the structural development the sector has undergone. Whereas the number of pig producers has declined by 10 per cent, the export value of Danish pigs and pig meat has risen by DKK 19 billion in current prices. In other words, fewer producers generate higher value.

Over the past decades, our focus has been on food security and the quality of meat. As a result, our sector currently has access to more than 100 markets throughout the world.
The vision for Denmark’s future pig and pig meat production sets out how the Danish sector plans to maintain its position. The answer lies in animal welfare, sustainability, and continuous focus on strengthening and developing our own and our employees’ competencies.

Long-term visions require short-term results

While the vision looks to the future, its focus is also trained on the present. By 2050, our sector will be climate neutral, and all Danish pigs will be loose housed and have the world’s highest health standards. In other words, Danish pig producers wish to challenge global markets on animal welfare and sustainability. We will also assume responsibility for the local communities of which we are a part. We are climate globalists with our feet firmly planted in Danish soil. And we know, too, that for long-term visions to be credible, we need to be able to demonstrate short-term results.

Danish pigs account for 14% of CO2e emissions from the Danish agriculture sector, which is the result of a committed focus to reduce CO2e emissions from our sector. We recommend that from 2023, new housing units are equipped with the appropriate technology to deal with slurry in a sustainable way. By using sustainability technologies, we can reduce the CO2e emissions from 1 kg of pig meat by 6 to 12 kg CO2e depending on whether the slurry is used for biogas.

We have made significant progress in the sustainability area. Our vision, however, puts more focus on improving the welfare of Danish pigs and by delivering results in a new way. We will have fewer goals and produce faster results.

From 2023, we recommend that new housing units are built to accommodate loose-housed production for farrowing sows. We recommend a gradual transition from crates to loose housing to ensure as high a survival rate for piglets as possible. Loose housing for sows requires pig producers and their employees to be well informed and by transitioning gradually we ensure that knowledge is shared and passed on. Moreover, Danish farmers have made significant investments that need to be written off before new investments can be taken on.

As soon as a model is in place, financial compensation will be granted to farmers who produce pigs without tail-docking. The aim is to double the number of Danish pigs with intact tails each year, from 2025 to 2028. If we succeed, Danish pig production will lead the way in animal welfare in largescale European production systems.

30 years from now, the Danish pig production sector will deliver more value on all parameters. Danish pigs will be climate-neutral, have the world’s highest health status, have intact tails, and be kept in loose housing systems throughout their lives. We need to develop over the next 30 years as we have over the past three decades. Our vision for pig production of the future paves the way for Danish pigs and pig meat to maintain their world leading position in the years to come.