• The Danish pig production model has a direct impact on Poland, as large volumes of piglets are exported, including to the Polish market
  • The biggest short-term threat to farmers in Denmark is low purchase prices amid record production costs, which may limit supply
  • Regulatory and social pressure is growing in the background: animal welfare, antibiotics, veterinary inspections and restrictions on pig transport—with the risk of reduced competitiveness

For years, Denmark has played an important role in the European pig market, both as a pork producer and as a supplier of piglets and breeding stock. That is why the direction in which production there is developing also matters to Poland. This was highlighted by Jeppe Bloch Nielsen, who presented the perspective of a Danish farmer at the Second Pig Production Congress in Żnin and discussed the challenges facing the sector as a whole.

The speaker was not talking solely as a representative of an industry organization. Together with his brother, he runs a farm that keeps around 2200 sows and produces piglets and breeding gilts. A significant proportion of their production is exported, with around 60 thousand piglets delivered to the Polish market. This perspective allows him to observe that changes in the Danish production model could affect animal availability and the economic situation of Polish farms.

Danish agriculture is changing

As the expert noted, Danish agriculture—as in the European Union as a whole—has undergone a huge transformation in recent decades:

- In the early 80s, when I was born, sows were kept primarily in individual stalls. Today, we use solutions that give them greater freedom of movement. On our farm, sows are kept in groups, and during the perinatal period and lactation they use special pens for a specified period. This shows how much the organization of production has changed. Despite this progress, as an industry we have not been able to communicate the scale of the changes effectively enough to the public. We are not good at explaining what modern animal farming looks like, what standards we apply, and what measures we take to improve production performance and animal welfare," said Jeppe Bloch Nielsen.

As the expert emphasized, one consequence of this situation is that public debate often focuses on isolated negative cases rather than the overall picture of production. Surely we are familiar with this in our own backyard, too?

Regulatory pressure versus economics

As the expert emphasized, one of the main challenges facing Danish pig producers today is regulatory policy:

- I have the impression that those responsible for making regulations are increasingly losing direct contact with the reality of farms. Many farmers feel that society sees them as people who knowingly expose animals to suffering and harm the environment every day. We disagree with this portrayal of our work. At the same time, we have to admit that the social and political pressure on agriculture is very high. This can also be seen in other European countries. In the Netherlands, the main subject of disputes is often agriculture's impact on the environment, while in Denmark animal welfare issues are particularly strongly emphasized," said the farmer.

However, as he said, it is not regulation but economics that is currently the greatest enemy of producers there:

- The greatest short-term threat is the economic situation of livestock farmers. We are receiving some of the lowest purchase prices in decades, while production costs have reached record highs. In practice, this means that many farms are making losses with each passing day. Public debate focuses mainly on regulations and policy, while the basic condition for a farm’s survival is receiving a price that covers production costs. If the situation does not improve, over the next year and a half, or perhaps even sooner, we may see a sharp decline in production. More farms will be forced to cease operations or declare bankruptcy. That is why we must think about two perspectives at the same time: the short term, concerning survival through the current crisis, and the long term, encompassing the future of the entire sector,” said the livestock farmer.farmer.

The gap between cities and the countryside is growing

The livestock farmer emphasized that Danish farms are growing larger, while the number of farmers is declining. Fewer and fewer people have direct contact with agricultural production and know what daily work on a farm involves. As a result, the gap between cities and the countryside continues to widen.

- In my opinion, the problem also concerns the way politics operates. More and more people in parliament have academic qualifications, but no experience of practical professional work outside academic and political circles. I do not question their competence or talents. However, I believe that theoretical knowledge is not always enough to understand the realities of running a farm. Regulations are often created on the basis of assumptions, social expectations and beliefs, and not always on the basis of practical experience and an analysis of economic consequences,” the speaker said.

Pressure from animal welfare organizations

Jeppe Bloch Nielsen pointed out that, as in Poland, animal protection organizations have a major influence on political debate. Their position often boils down to the principle that every suffering animal is one too many. They expect Denmark to achieve a situation in which not a single case of animal mistreatment can be found.

- In my view, completely eliminating all irregularities is unrealistic, especially in large-scale and complex livestock production. This does not mean that we should not strive to improve animal welfare. It does mean that we must discuss realistic goals, measurable indicators and ways of achieving them, the speaker said.

As the expert said, one of the most frequently discussed topics is piglet mortality. According to the data presented during the talk, it has increased in the recent period, so it requires further analysis and corrective action. Considerable attention is also paid to sow mortality, which is too high.

- We cannot ignore these problems. We must continually monitor results, analyze their causes and implement solutions that improve animal health and survival. At the same time, we must realistically assess the scope for further improvement. Production goals must take into account both the animals’ biological potential and their housing conditions, the expert said.

Another issue identified by animal protection groups is the castration of male piglets:

- Switching to production without piglet castration is possible, but it requires proper preparation that takes into account both animal welfare and meat quality requirements. From a farmer’s perspective, reducing castration is a desirable direction for change. No producer performs such procedures without a reason, and if safe and effective alternatives exist, they are worth developing; however, the market must be ready for such changes, the farmer said.

Antibiotic use

Danish pig production is often presented as an example of limited antibiotic use. Compared with many countries, our results are sometimes assessed positively. Even so, there is continued pressure in Denmark to reduce antibiotic use further.

- This shows how much the assessment of production depends on the chosen point of reference. What is an achievement in an international comparison may at the same time be considered insufficient in light of domestic expectations, the farmer said.

Exorbitant cost of veterinary inspections

According to data cited during the presentation, inspections cover around 30% of farms annually. In addition, animals leaving farms are subject to appropriate inspection procedures, both when exported and when transported to domestic slaughterhouses. From the producers’ perspective, this means extensive oversight.

- In my view, the scale of inspections should be assessed in relation to the number of animals, the scale of production, and the irregularities actually identified, the breeder said.

As he said, another problem is the cost of inspections. Farmers bear some of these costs themselves. If an additional inspection is required, the farm may be charged further fees. Regardless of the exact amounts, the mechanism for increasing administrative costs is economically significant. With low purchase prices and high production costs, every additional fee weakens farms’ competitiveness.

Restrictions on pig transport

There is also discussion in Denmark about restrictions on transporting live pigs.

- One of the issues under consideration is shortening the permitted transport time, for example to eight hours. From an animal-welfare perspective, transport should take place under appropriate conditions, taking into account the animals’ health, temperature, ventilation and journey time. At the same time, it should be remembered that exports are an important part of the Danish production model. If transport and inspection costs continue to rise and the permitted transport time is restricted, the competitiveness of Danish producers may deteriorate, the speaker said.

Therefore, as he explained, any change to the regulations should take into account both animal welfare and the logistical and economic realities of the European market.

These are just some of the challenges facing Denmark’s pig sector. Demographic problems and economic pressure from non-EU countries are also factors. One thing is certain, however: at least until Poland becomes self-sufficient in piglet production, we are largely dependent on farmers in that country. So all that remains is to keep our fingers crossed that the industry there will overcome the challenges it faces.