Pig Development Unit | Pig Production | Staff | Pigs Farmers Conference
Pig Development Unit
The Pig Production Development Unit was established in 2005 and has a staff complement of 20 and a budget allocation of €1.7m. The pig development programme comprises research, advice and training and reflects the goals in the Teagasc Statement of Strategy 2005-2007.
The Irish pig industry is a modern capital-intensive, highly-efficient industry which has been a world leader in terms of one of the indicators of technical efficiency, i.e. the number of pigs produced per sow per year and produces top-class pork and pork products.
Most pig production is carried out in some 460 commercial units and the proportion of pigmeat output concentrated in large-scale units is greater in Ireland than in other EU countries. The large unit size, the high degree of specialisation in the industry and highly trained labour, have all contributed to make the Irish pig industry very efficient and internationally competitive.
Control of feed costs and improvements in meat quality are essential in ensuring future profitability and winning increased market-share. The industry responds rapidly to proven new technology and this is evident in a rapid uptake of new developments.
Feed accounts for about 65% of the cost of pigmeat production and there is a continuing need to develop efficient utilisation of feed, while improving sow productivity and pig performance from suckling to finishing. Moreover, greater attention must be given to overcoming the growing environmental and animal welfare concerns arising from intensification of pig production.
The objectives of the programme of the development unit are to reduce the unit-cost of production and improve the quality of pigmeat production, while reducing the environmental impact and improving animal welfare.
