Germany: The number of pig farms continues to decline
Farms keep an average of 300 more pigs than ten years ago
The number of pigs kept in Germany as of November 3, 2024 was 21.2 million animals. This means that the population remained almost unchanged both compared to May 3, 2024 (+10,100 animals) and compared to the same time last year (-0.2% or -39,400 animals). Compared to 2014, however, the pig population fell by 25.2% or 7.2 million animals. Since the number of farms fell significantly more during this period, the trend towards larger farms continues: While in 2014 a farm kept an average of 1,100 pigs, ten years later this figure was 1,400 animals per farm.
As of November 3, 2024, 9.7 million fattening pigs were kept in Germany, 3.0% or 282,900 more animals than six months previously. The number of piglets and young pigs, on the other hand, decreased by 2.5% or 254,700 animals and stood at 10.0 million. The number of breeding sows, with 1.4 million animals kept, decreased by 1.3% (-18,100 animals) compared to May 2024.
Cattle and dairy cow population continues to decline
The number of cattle kept in Germany has recently declined. As of November 3, 2024, farms in Germany kept 10.5 million cattle, including 3.6 million dairy cows. That was 1.6% or 165,500 cattle and 2.1% or 78,900 dairy cows fewer than on May 3, 2024. Compared to November 2023, the cattle population fell by 3.5% (-374,900 animals) and compared to 2014 by 17.9% (-2.3 million animals). The dairy cow population fell by 3.3% (-123,400 animals) within one year and by 16.4% (-706,200 animals) in a ten-year comparison.
The long-term downward trend also continued in dairy cow holdings. Compared to May 2024, the number of holdings fell by 1.6% (-800 holdings) to 48,600, and compared to November 2023 it fell by 3.8% (-1,900 holdings). That was 36.4% (-27,800 holdings) fewer dairy cow holdings than in 2014.
Sheep population also declining
As of November 3, 2024, German farms kept a total of 1.5 million sheep, 3.4% or 53,200 animals fewer than a year earlier (November 3, 2023). In a ten-year comparison, the population decreased by 5.9% or 94,300 animals.
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