Latest news with #pigfarming
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
China wants slimmer pigs
By Ella Cao and Lewis Jackson BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese farmers and small firms have increasingly bought market-ready pigs from larger breeders and fattened them in a bet on higher prices, but the government is cracking down on the speculative practice to slim down hogs and stabilise the market. For small breeders, "refattening" or buying adult hogs from big producers and feeding them for an extra few months until they put on an extra 40-50kg is a way to gamble on pork prices rising. But analysts say regulators are concerned the bets fuel big price swings and squander feed, in the latter case clashing with a national push to cut grain use in livestock, especially as the trade war with the U.S. underscores a long-standing goal to reduce dependence on food imports. "It can lead to short-term shortages followed by a glut, driving big price swings and unsettling the market," said Pan Chenjun, senior animal protein analyst at Rabobank. "The government seems intent on stabilising pork prices, which remain weak, while protecting small farmers from losses and curbing speculative behaviour," Pan added. Muyuan Foods, China's top pig breeder, told state-run Beijing News in late May that it had halted sales to refatteners, after rumours of a policy meeting targeting the practice boosted pig firm stocks. A crackdown is already underway, according to a source directly familiar with the matter and two briefed by others involved, one of whom said Guangdong province in southern China is a particularly strict enforcer. The National Development and Reform Commission and Muyuan did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment. China, the world's biggest pork consumer, is grappling with weak demand and oversupply that have eroded margins. Cash hog prices have hovered around 14 yuan per kg since February, down from a peak of 21 yuan last August, according to MySteel data. Refattening boosts pork supply when the pigs hit the market and worsens price drops when the market is already falling, said Lin Guofa, senior analyst at Bric Agriculture Group, a consultancy. A 150-kg pig yields about 142% of the pork produced by a 115-kg pig, Lin added. Feed efficiency is also a concern as China looks to cut grain use in animal feed, especially with the trade war speeding its move away from the U.S. soybeans that mostly go into animal feed. Pigs are most efficient at around 120 kg - beyond that, they eat more but grow less, Pan said. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Yahoo
Secret cameraman claims 'brutality' at pig farm
An investigator who posed as a labourer to secretly film on a pig farm has described what he witnessed as shocking and brutal. The footage recorded for the Animal Justice Project (AJP) over "several weeks" at Northmoor Farm, Lincolnshire, appears to show "piglet thumping", a banned method of killing animals. Cranswick, which owns the farm near Market Rasen, said the footage was unacceptable and it had launched an independent review into its procedures. Lincolnshire Trading Standards told the BBC it was continuing to work with Lincolnshire Police following the allegations of cruelty. Speaking to the BBC's Politics North programme, the animal rights investigator said he applied for the job through a normal recruitment process. While filming covertly for AJP, he said he witnessed "brutality at every single part of that process". He claimed he saw regular "piglet thumping", a banned method of killing that involves holding a piglet by its hind legs and slamming it to the ground. He also claimed workers were "desensitised" to the "sickening sound" of the piglets hitting the floor. The investigator told the BBC he did not try to stop the actions of other workers. A section of the footage, first reported by the Mail on Sunday newspaper, shows a container piled with piglets that have allegedly been slammed. Some are still alive. The man said fellow workers failed to check if the piglets were dead, which "makes it worse". He said that although such actions were difficult to watch, what he witnessed had "strengthened" his resolve "to help animals". A spokesperson for Cranswick, which is based in East Yorkshire, said: "We were incredibly disappointed and saddened to see the unacceptable footage from Northmoor Farm. "As soon as we saw that footage we acted immediately. We suspended all of our employees and instigated a full investigation." They added the behaviour did not reflect current procedures or training. Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Tesco all suspended use of the farm. AJP has lodged a legal complaint with trading standards, citing multiple breaches of the Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing regulations. Under the legislation, using blunt trauma to kill pigs is illegal in England. Lincolnshire Trading Standards said it was taking the incident "extremely seriously". A spokesperson said it had inspected the premises and was continuing to review footage, including some not currently in the public domain. A spokesperson for Red Tractor, the certified standards scheme, said: "The disregard for the care of animals shown in the footage does a disservice to an industry which works hard to uphold animal welfare requirements. "Red Tractor always acts immediately on reports of poor animal welfare and does not hesitate to sanction members where there is evidence of non-compliance with our standards." Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Review launched after pig farm abuse claims Pig farm operations suspended over abuse claims
BBC News
25-05-2025
- BBC News
Secret cameraman claims of 'brutality' at Cranswick farm
An investigator who posed as a labourer to secretly film on a pig farm has described what he witnessed as shocking and footage recorded for the Animal Justice Project (AJP) over "several weeks" at Northmoor Farm, Lincolnshire, appears to show "piglet thumping", a banned method of killing which owns the farm near Market Rasen, said the footage was unacceptable and it had launched an independent review into its Trading Standards told the BBC it was continuing to work with Lincolnshire Police following the allegations of cruelty. Speaking to the BBC's Politics North programme, the animal rights investigator said he applied for the job through a normal recruitment filming covertly for AJP, he said he witnessed "brutality at every single part of that process".He claimed he saw regular "piglet thumping", a banned method of killing that involves holding a piglet by its hind legs and slamming it to the also claimed workers were "desensitised" to the "sickening sound" of the piglets hitting the floor. The investigator told the BBC he did not try to stop the actions of other workers.A section of the footage, first reported by the Mail on Sunday newspaper, shows a container piled with piglets that have allegedly been slammed. Some are still man said fellow workers failed to check if the piglets were dead, which "makes it worse".He said that although such actions were difficult to watch, what he witnessed had "strengthened" his resolve "to help animals".A spokesperson for Cranswick, which is based in East Yorkshire, said: "We were incredibly disappointed and saddened to see the unacceptable footage from Northmoor Farm. "As soon as we saw that footage we acted immediately. We suspended all of our employees and instigated a full investigation."They added the behaviour did not reflect current procedures or Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Tesco all suspended use of the farm. AJP has lodged a legal complaint with trading standards, citing multiple breaches of the Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing the legislation, using blunt trauma to kill pigs is illegal in Trading Standards said it was taking the incident "extremely seriously".A spokesperson said it had inspected the premises and was continuing to review footage, including some not currently in the public domain.A spokesperson for Red Tractor, the certified standards scheme, said: "The disregard for the care of animals shown in the footage does a disservice to an industry which works hard to uphold animal welfare requirements. "Red Tractor always acts immediately on reports of poor animal welfare and does not hesitate to sanction members where there is evidence of non-compliance with our standards." Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
Times
21-05-2025
- Business
- Times
Cranswick launches independent review after pig cruelty claims
Cranswick will hold an independent review of its animal welfare policies and livestock operations in the UK after claims of animal cruelty at one of the supermarket food supplier's pig farms. Last week footage that appeared to show workers at one of Cranswick's farms in Lincolnshire abusing piglets was published by the Animal Justice Project (AJP), prompting the company to suspend use of the farm. According to AJP, workers were filmed holding piglets by their hind legs and slamming them to the ground, using a banned method of killing the animals known as 'piglet thumping'. In its preliminary results for 2025, Cranswick said it aimed to have the most stringent animal health and wellbeing standards in the sector. It added that it took seriously 'any
The Independent
20-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Cranswick launches independent review after pig farm abuse claims
Meat giant Cranswick has launched an independent review into its animal welfare policies and livestock operations after abuse claims at a pig farm run by the business. It came as the company revealed record sales and profits for the past year. The UK's largest pork supplier suspended using Northmoor Farm in Lincolnshire after covert footage emerged last week appearing to workers at the site abusing piglets. Workers were filmed appearing to hold piglets by their hind legs and slamming them to the ground, using a banned method of killing the animals known as 'piglet thumping'. Retailers including Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Tesco suspended Northmoor Farm as a supplier as a result. Cranswick has said it will not sell on any pigs which were based at the farm. Chief executive Adam Couch said in a statement that the business is now reviewing the welfare of its operations. 'We take seriously any instance, anywhere in our supply chain, where behaviour fails to meet those standards,' he said. 'We are therefore instigating a new, fully independent, expert veterinarian review of all our existing animal welfare policies, together with a comprehensive review of our livestock operations across the UK. 'We will provide a further update on this work in due course.' The fresh review came as Cranswick revealed sales and profits jumped over the past year. The East Yorkshire-based firm revealed revenues grew by 6.8% to £2.72 billion for the year to March, compared with the previous year. Cranswick said volumes were stronger on the back of positive demand for its luxury products and record Christmas trading. It added that fresh pork export revenues lifted by more than 10% after it benefited from the reinstatement of a contract with China. Meanwhile, the company also revealed that pre-tax profits grew by 14.6% to £181.6 million for the year.
