The pig producers are focusing on reducing the release of phosphorous and consequently, the release of phosphorous per kg pork has been reduced by 50 per cent in Denmark since 1985.

Phosphorous (or "P" which is the chemical symbol for "Phosphorous") is an important nutrient for plants and is delivered to the fields through livestock manure. If there is a surplus of phosphorous, this will be bound to the soil; however, at accumulation of phosphorous in the soil, there is a risk of it spreading to the surroundings. Viewed from an environmental perspective, it will be desirable to obtain a balance between the input and output of phosphorous.

Enzymes in the feed enable the pigs to better utilize phosphorous

In pig production, there is focus on reducing phosphorous release, e.g. by reducing the content in livestock manure through the adding of enzymes to the feed. The release of phosphorous per kg produced pork has diminished by more than 50 per cent since 1985.

An important reason for this is the adding of the enzyme phytase to the feed which enables the pigs to better utilize the phosphorous in the feed.

On the whole, Denmark has a phosphorous balance since the harvested crops remove as much phosphorous as is added to the field. However, in terms of distribution, some areas in the country have a surplus whereas others have a deficiency.