LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Gener Romeu
Rotecna’s President
Dear Reader,
For most of the big European pig-farming countries such
as Germany, Holland, Denmark, France and Spain, 2003
has not exactly been a good year. The low prices paid for
animals, combined with the increase in the cost of raw
materials like cereals, led to below-cost pig-breeding.
On the international scene, several countries look like
becoming big producers in the future. One which stands
out is Brazil, a country has for a long time been striving
to improve its porcine sector, although experts now say
that the bulk of its exports to Russia will decrease. In this
edition of RotecnaWorld, we have put the spotlight on
this country to find out about the challenges it faces
and the characteristics of its pig-farming facilities.
With regard to Europe, the key development in 2004 will
be the incorporation of new countries in the European
SUMMARY
4 6
14 16
ROTECNA WORLD 5 MAY 2004
DESIGN:
EDITION:
Montse Guerrero
ROTECNA, s.a.
PRINT:
Imprenta Barnola
Rotecna World’s editors accept no liability for contributors’ opinion
Union. From the point of view of the porcine industry,
the only country which should really concern us for the
moment is Poland.
Poland occupies third place in the list of producers in the
Union, and is ninth in the world ranking. Its annual pro-
duction of pork is 2 million tonnes, which places it in a
good position, though it will have to modify many
aspects of its infrastructure to satisfy the many require-
ments of European Union legislation. Indeed, it is our
experience in such aspects that gives us the lead in this
obstacle race.
Finally, we would also like to highlight the article on the
Smithfield Foods, Inc. giant, which has set up a highly
futuristic project consisting of the conversion of slurries
into biodiesel. This is one more way of dealing with an
environmental problem which is of concern to any
region of the world where pigs are bred.
Gener Romeu Guàrdia
10 12
18
ISSN: L-156-01
ANIMAL SCIENCE EDITORIAL STAFF:
RESEARCH DEPARTMENT: Montse Palau
Maria Devant
3
 ROTECNANEWS

our
When a company wants to open up to
the international market, it has to do
some thorough groundwork. We only
work with dealers around the world who
can offer us their experience and expert
knowledge of each particular pig market.
It is thanks to this that Rotecna’s pro-
Our sales figures are very healthy in developing countries, for example
in Asia, where it is not difficult to find pigs eating from our feeders or
walking on Rotecna slats. This market has provided us with a great
opportunity to expand our business in this emerging part of the world,
on which many companies have set their sights because of the great
business opportunities it offers.

inter-
ducts have been installed in more than
The valuable work of our International Sales Department, headed by
50 countries all over the world. Our first
the General Manager of Rotecna, S.A., relies on the visits our managers
international sale was in France, and we
pay to customers. We also keep in touch with developments in the pig
later launched our products in Denmark,
market through our presence at the main world trade fair events, such
gradually building up to the current
as World Pork Expo, Viv Europe, Viv Asia, Eurotier or Expoaviga, in
exports map, which goes from east to
Barcelona.
west and from north to south.

national Since our first international sale, many

things have changed in the pig sector,
and obviously, in our own company. The
effort to add to our catalogue, the most
wide-ranging on the market, never stops,
as we strive to satisfy the product requi-
After years of success on the international market, our next step is to
defend our current share and, naturally, to increase it with the adhe-
sion of East European countries such as Poland - which has an impor-
tant pig livestock - and in Asia, without forgetting consolidation in the
main and historical markets in Europe and America.

presence
our next step is to defend our current share and
rements of all our customers, whether
to increase it.
they are in Germany, Australia or the
entire American continent. The variety of
work practices on farms around the As the recognised number 1 world brand in porcine innovation, one of
world gives us the opportunity of develo- Rotecna’s greatest achievements in the international pig market has
ping a product for each need. been to offer our customers innovation and quality, maximizing the
When ROTECNA, S.A. was founded in 1991, one of its first
relationship between quality and price.
challenges was to export its products to wherever they could
be useful.

This international outlook and desire to establish a worldwi-

de presence in external markets have been one of the axes
our international sales figures, have
accounted for 60% of our total turnover
since 1998.
of our strategic development, a fact reflected by the evolu-
tion of our international sales figures, which have accounted
for 60% of our total turnover since 1998. This international
process has meant a great investment and effort for
Rotecna, and over the years has become a key to the com-
pany’s growth.

all over
the
world

4 5
 RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

Lookout
for drinking
waterduring
lactation
Three different drinking systems for lactating sows have been
evaluated for their effect on sow and piglet performance. A dra-
matic difference in usage did not have a great impact on perfor-
mance but can increase water and slurry disposal costs.
By Ph D Maria Devant,
Rotecna, Spain
T1 T2 T3

Genetic improvement of the prolificacy of sows during
the last two decades has resulted in an indirect increa-
se of milk production requirement. Nowadays, the
growth rate of a litter can reach 3 kg/d, which corres-
ponds to an estimated milk yield of about 12 kg/d
(Noblet and Etienne, 1989) of which approximately
81% is water (Hurley and Bryson, 1999). Generally,
water requirement in the lactating sow increases by
around 40% compared to a non-lactating sow. The
water intake is strongly related to feed intake and
ambient temperature, but also to drinker type choice
and system flow (Mroz et al, 1995).
Nipple drinkers are commonly used for dispensing ad
libitum water to lactating sows. In these systems water
flow is critical; it must be sufficient to stimulate water
intake, but not excessive to avoid spillage and increa-
ses in slurry volume. Another option is a system that
maintains a constant water level in the feeding trough.
An experiment was conducted on a 7,000 commercial
sow farm in Lleida, Spain, to compare the various
systems available to producers. The drinker type and
position with respect to the farrowing crate trough dif-
fered as follows:
Treatment one (T1) used a VRH aqua level valve, which
maintains a constant water level at a depth of 5 cm in
the feeding trough.
Treatment two (T2) was a nipple drinker placed in the
feeding trough.
Treatment three (T3) had a nipple drinker with a bowl
separate from the feeding trough, positioned 10 cm
above the floor.
In T3, feed presentation was always dry in contrast to
the other treatments where feed was mixed with the
water remaining in the feeding trough. The water flow
rate for T2 and T3 was 6 and 3 litres per minute, res-
pectively.
Farrowing house image
In the mechanically ventilated farrowing room, where
minimum and maximum room temperatures were recor-
ded daily at 09:00, the pens were 1.6 x 2.4 m, separated
by a 50 cm high modular penning system. The crates
were 2.1 x 2.2 m with fingers. The floor was a combina-
tion of metal tribar for the sows, plastic for the piglets
and a 1.2 x 0.4 m solid concrete nest area with under
floor heating.
Experimental design
A total of 224 Large White x Landrace sows were used for
the experiment in seven replicates of 32 animals. Sows
were weighed on entry into the farrowing pens, 24 hours
after farrowing and post weaning. Sows in each experi-
mental period farrowed within three consecutive days.
Litters were standardized to12 pigs within 24 hours after
birth and then weighed.
Conventional pig management was followed, including
tail clipping after birth and the provision of creep feed
and water from piglet nipple drinkers. No new piglets
were introduced or fostered after weighing. If any piglet
died, the date, cause and weight were recorded.
Apparent water intake of each sow was recorded with an
accurate water meter (model 510, Tashia) daily at 09:00.
Similarly, apparent feed intake of each sow was recorded.
If any sow did not eat the whole ration, feed refusals
were recorded. Two basic feed curves were used, one for
gilts and one for sows (Figure 1) divided into three por-
tions offered at 06:00, 10:00 and 18:00. The ration was a
standard pelleted diet providing 3.34 Mcal of DE/kg,
16.8% CP, and 0.9% lysine. During the last 6 days of ges-
tation the gilts and sows were fed 2 kg once a day at
06:00, dropping to 1.5 kg two days before farrowing and

6 7
 RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
1.3 kg the day before farrowing. The weaning-to-oestrus
interval was also recorded.
Seasonal effect considered
random
The study was conducted over a seven-month period
through the winter and summer. Initially it was hypo-
thesized that there could be a seasonal effect. Minimum
registered room temperatures were 20, 21 and 23ºC and
maximum temperatures were 23, 26 and 27ºC for the
winter, spring and summer months, respectively.
Average room temperatures were 21.5, 23.5 and 25 ºC
for winter, spring and summer months, respectively.
Most trials where the temperature effect has been stu-
died (Messias de Bragança et al, 1998; Quiniou and
Noblet, 1999) have been conducted with a constant
room temperature. A temperature of 25ºC (Quiniou and
Noblet, 1999) has been described as the critical tempe-
rature where feed intake is compromised. However, tem-
perature fluctuation provides the possibility to attenua-
te the effects of high ambient temperature and gives
the sows a certain degree of respite (Quinou et al, 2000).
As in Quinou et al. (2000), the temperature fluctuated in
all study replicates and average room temperature was
under 25ºC. Therefore, the replicates with the season-
8 9
temperature effect has been considered as a random
effect and not as a fixed main effect.
Litter performance tendency
A total of 12 sows were removed because of different
pathologies that compromised their lactation. Sow and
piglet performance results are summarized in Table 1.
No statistical differences were detected between treat-
ments in sows' initial and post farrowing body weight,
initial piglet weight and lactation days (251 ± 1.5 kg,
217 ± 2.7 kg, 1.6 ± 0.01 kg, 20.2 ± 0.16 days, respecti-
vely). The weaning-to-oestrus interval was also not
affected by drinker type. Seventy one percent of the
sows showed their first oestrus in less than 7 days, 10%
between day 7-21, 7.5% after day 21 and 11.5% were
culled. consumed less food than T1 or T2 sows (4.41, 4.52 and ple drinker, not all the water was retained in the bowl
A tendency in final litter weight, litter weight increase 4.55 kg, respectively). T3 also recorded the worse piglet and overflowed into the slurry pit.
and piglet average daily gain was detected. Litter final performance results. This could be attributed to the The better litter performance result of T1 contradicts
weight and litter weight increase were greater with T1 apparent lower food intake at the end of the lactation the apparent feed and water intake of T2 sows. The gre-
compared to T2, followed by T3. period. Feeding dry feed did not allow the sows to maxi- ater apparent water intake in T2 at the end of the lac-
An analysis of piglet mortality showed 36% died during mize their food intake in the last part of the lactation. tation period was an unexpected result; it is generally
the first 3 days, 37% died from day 3-10, regardless of Piglet mortality analyses support the hypothesis that accepted that animals get tired of pushing the stem and
the treatment. 74% of these piglets weighed 1-2 kg and the nutritional restriction for T3 was at the end of the that lactating sows do not drink all the water they need.
the main causes were non-viable (42%), sacrificed lactation period. The worse performance results of T2 support the propo-
because non-viable (22%) and crushed (21%). A signifi- sition that water and feed was partially wasted in the
cant interaction between treatment and age was detec- Ad-lib but not overflow last part of the lactation where food rations are greater
ted, however, for piglet loss over 10 days of age with because of an uncontrolled water level in the feeding
36%, 53% and 85% in T1, T2 and T3, respectively. In summary, the worst litter performance results were trough.
obtained with T3, which could be attributed to the The success of T1 is based on the maintenance of a low
Nutritional restriction at end apparent lower feed intake at the end of the lactation water level that reduces water and feed wastage, but
period. And yet water intake in T3 was twice that of T1 takes advantage of the strategy to mix the feed ration
Average sow apparent water and feed intake data are and T2, which supports the theory that half of the water with water (Roppa, 2002) to stimulate sow feed intake.
shown in Table 2. The average, pre- and post-farrowing was wasted. When the sows pushed the stem of the nip- References available on request.
water intake was highest in T3, followed by T2 and
lowest in T1. A day and treatment effect was detected
(Figure 2); water intake increased two days before farro-
wing, decreasing the farrowing day and increasing day
to day after farrowing.
No statistical differences in average and pre-farrowing
sow apparent food intake were detected, while a ten-
a new look
ROTECNA
dency in post-farrowing feed intake indicated T3 sows
Taking advantage of the latest edition of the Fima
Ganadera fair, Rotecna, SA presented its new corporate
image.
The design of its logo, which can already be seen on all
of its products, has been updated, preserving the now
familiar figure of a pig, but with the addition of a more
rounded outline.
As well as its new image, Rotecna, SA also released the
new catalogue with its wide product range at the fair.
 TECHNOLOGY
After their launch three years ago, in assembly when attaching the membrane,
Rotenca present the updated version of as the two sides guarantee the correct func-
our highly successful VR-H Valve. tioning of the Rotecna VR-H. In this way,
livestock breeders can safely fit the membra-
The new version incorporates two important changes. ne themselves after a brief check. The new
The first is a new double-layered membrane which, as design also doubles the life of the membrane,
a result, lasts twice as long, and the other is a simpler, as it can be used on both sides.
more practical and much faster opening and closing
mechanism. This characteristics makes the Rotecna
VRH valve the best on the market for results and prac-
ticality, as all other valves are currently out-of-date in
both design and features.

Double layer membrane for

double use and duration.

VR-H The design of the new membrane is symmetrical,

or two-sided, thus eliminating the possibility of error

valve With regard to the opening and closing

mechanism, the new version of the VR-H has
replaced the 14 screws with a small lever

double life and

which allows it to be opened and closed with
a simple twisting movement. Before these
changes, it took approximately fifteen minu-
tes to close or open the valve, and now it

more practica takes just 5 seconds to do the same operation.

This system enables easy assembly and dis-
mantling, and the internal servicing of the
membrane to check its condition.
ADVANTAGES:
These changes improve the performance
o quick openning and closing of the Rotecna VR-H, the success of which lies
in its ability to maintain a homogenous water
o easy assembly and dismantling
level and maximize water availability, an
o assembly without screws essential nutrient for productive performance
o symmetrical membrane design: two-sided in any livestock concern.

10 11
 TECHNOLOGY
Rotecna, S.A. has put a simple new product on the 710mm. During weaning, the pits can be heighte-
market which functions as a support for floors: the ned to one metre by attaching 10-cm modules,

basic
Basic Post.
This support may be used as both as a central sup-
port for features and their extremities. The sup-
ports are better equipped to take the weight of
animals without the beam bending or being dama-
ged. The Basic Post can be used in long facilities
which enable the pig-farmer to alter pits to suit
particular requirements. Once the Basic Post is ins-
talled, its height is adjustable.
The Basic Post is not affected by damaging slurry,
as it is 100% polypropylene.

post
and delivery pens, thanks to the use of lower and All these features together make the Basic Post a
more economical features. versatile, practical and highly profitable investment.

This support substitutes the building-walls tradi-

tionally used as a support for the beams on which
slats are installed. The supports are a good way of
avoiding disruptive on-site building work in both
new construction and renovation work. Also, they
make it unnecessary to divide up the pit into diffe-
rent parts, which has added advantages like pre-

the fulcrum venting the accumulation of excrements on sup-

ports next to walls, and cutting down on construc-
tion costs.
Basic Post upper part
Their manoeuvrability and easy installation facilita-

support tes the reorganisation of weaning sheds, for exam-

ple, and their reconversion as maternity sheds, with
no need for expensive pit conversion work. By
simply moving the Basic Post, the shed can be res-
tructured to suit the pig-farmer’s requirements.

The Basic Post can support any type of beam

ADVANTAGES: (metallic, Profile T or Delta Beam by Rotecna).
Thanks to the supports, the pits can have a mini- SER thread
o Easy installation, without building mum height of 130 mm and a maximum of
work
o Pit-height adjustable to require-
ments
o Corrosion-proof
Basic Post nut calibration
o More hygienic: cornerless pits
o No need for building-walls
o Adjustable height
o Less wear and tear on facilities
o Highly resistant

Basic Post supporting base

12 13
 SOMETHING ABOUT …
medi
Mediterranean cooking is characteristic of the countries
around the Mediterranean Sea such as Spain, France,
Italy, Greece, Turkey, Morocco, Egypt, Jordanian or Syria,
and countries like Portugal or the ex-Yugoslavia, which
though not actually Mediterranean, have been influen-
ced by their neighbours. Obviously, each country has its
own peculiar characteristics and differing styles of
terra
Mediterranean cooking are to be found in the same
country, Spain being a clear case in point.
Mediterranean cooking ñ not always the same as
Mediterranean diet- has evolved over many years and
benefited from the influence of many peoples: Iberians,
Celts, Greeks, Romans, Barbers or Arabs. Also, the Asians
nean
(with their spices) and the Americans (potato, chocola-
te, tomato and pepper, thanks to the discovery of the
American continent) have contributed to this well-
known and appreciated cooking. However, it was the
Romans and Greeks who laid the foundations of the
Mediterranean diet of today with 3 basic elements:
wheat, olive oil and wine. Apart from these ingredients,
the
essence
of catalan
cooking
cui-
this typical south European cooking also includes fruit
and vegetables, pulses and fish and meat.
Catalan cooking is a good example of the
Mediterranean cuisine. Someone defined it as being
mainly Mediterranean, a cousin of Occitan (Southern
France), a relative of Iberian cooking (Spanish, Basque,
Galician and Portuguese) and with contributions from
sine:
France, England, Arabia and the Jews. Though different,
these cuisines do have things in common. A great
Catalan writer, Josep Pla, once said that Catalan cooking
is as diverse as its landscapes: interior, coast and moun-
tain. A definite characteristic of our cooking is that it
comes from the traditional cooking of women, fisher-
men and countrymen.
14
Everyday Catalan cooking is, perhaps, not so traditional
as we have described it. Just like many other countries
in the world today, people do not have much time to
cook. Nevertheless, at weekends or on special occasions
at home, hosts normally treat their guests to the tradi-
tional cooking they have inherited from their parents or
grandparents. A traditional meal would consist of three
dishes: a light starter (salad, soup, pasta or pulses), a fish
or meat dish for the main course and finally, a dessert
(usually fruit, dried fruit or dairy produce and sometimes
homemade cakes).
Traditional Catalan cuisine relies heavily on lightly fried
ingredients (tomato, onion and sometimes, garlic) and
picades ( ground almonds or hazelnuts, sometimes with
garlic and parsley) and combines the food of the sea and
the land (such as vegetables or mushrooms), together
with a variety of meat (pork, veal, poultry, rabbit).
Among the herbs most frequently used herbs are thyme,
rosemary, bay and fennel; and as for species, saffron
and cinnamon are the queens of the kitchen.
Modern restaurant cooking is a combination of tradition
and innovation. Many Catalan cooks - Ferran Adri‡ or
Santi SantamarÌa to name just two ñ enjoy internatio-
nal acclaim. They use Mediterranean products, but com-
bine them using different cooking styles to create (as if
they were painting a picture) new dishes to delight
many palates; the taste of the past with a modern day
touch.
If you have the chance to visit our little country, donít
hesitate to try pa amb tom‡quet (bread spread with
tomato), escudella, samfaina, embotits (products derived
from pork) or peus de porc (pigís trotters).
15
 FUTURE
In February, 2003, the North American Smithfield Foods, Inc. announ- The biometanol will be transported to a

smith-
ced that it would invest 20 million dollars in the construction of a plant
in the state of Utah to convert slurries into biodiesel for vehicles. With
this investment, Smithfield will take the controlling stake in
BESTbiofuel, LLC, the company in charge of running the project.
When the company announced the news, the Vice-President of
Engineering and Environmental Affairs of this giant American pork pro-
plant outside the state of Utah to be
converted into biodiesel from used oils,
such as soya oil, animal fat or household
oil. According to Smithfield, the result is
a renewable, clean-burning fuel which
could help engines to run for longer
thanks to its improved lubricating action.

field
ducer, Robert F. Urell, commented that “livestock waste can be a source The fuel will not only be used to supply
of clean, renewable fuel”. Garth Boyd, Head of Environmental the fleet of Smithfield trucks, but will
Technology at Smithfield Foods and the person in charge of the plant also go on general sale.
project, claimed that the main aim of the project is to obtain clean,
renewable energy, and to prove that new technologies can be applied to Speaking about this project, Jean-Mari
solving problems caused by slurries, for the benefit of society. In reality, Peltier, Advisor to the Administrator
public opinion has always seen Smithfiled as a large scale contaminator, USEPA (United States Environmental
so this initiative should go some way to restoring the company’s repu- Protection Agency), declared that “We

to produce tation.

The plant is being built on the company’s farms, Smithfield Circle Four
Farms, housing around 57,000 sows, which produce 1 million pigs
annually. Each animal produces almost 9 litres of slurry daily, including
should be very enthusiastic about the
opportunities offered by projects like
these”, adding that “we can obtain
immediate benefits and possibilities for
creating additional economic opportuni-

slurry-based fuel both excrements and waste water. The company chose the construction
site near Milford in Utah because it is in this state that the giant pork
producer has the highest concentration of pig farms. In Mr.Boyd’s view,
the construction of the plant, the completion of which has been dela-
yed a few months by the cold winter, is something of a feat of engine-
ties for livestock handlers and rural com-
munities, too”.

In the future, Smithfield Foods Inc.,

through BESTbioFuels LLC, plans to build
ering, as it is by no means easy to carry out a project of these charac- other plants like that which is soon to
teristics. In fact, the original idea was conceived just over two and a half begin operating, possibly smaller than
years ago. the Utah plant, which will become the
first plant of its type in the United
Construction began in mid-2003, and Smithfield expected fuel-produc- States.
tion to have begun in February 2004, or that the plant would at least
be ready for production. Included in the project is the construction of a Smithfield Foods Inc. has shown a firm
pumping system to transport purines to the processing plant for con- commitment to the research and deve-
centration. The concentrated liquid will then be conveyed to a second lopment of superior environmental tech-
installation for the production of biogas, which will be channelled to a nologies, as the joint project with the
nearby plant where thermo-catalytic processes will convert it into bio- University of North Carolina proves. The
metanol. company hopes that the University’s
research will produce positive results this
year in 18 different technologies to
modify or replace existing methods of
treating and recycling porcine waste.

Smithfield Foods Inc is the leading pro-

ducer and distributor of pork in the
United States and in the world, as well as
being the largest producer of sows. At
present, the company owns 750,000
Smithfield Foods Inc. on the verge of comple- mothers, which produce about 12 million
ting construction of plant for conversion of pigs each year. Smithfield started to
expand in 1981, with the takeover of its
slurries into biodiesel. local rival, Gwaltney. The culmination of
this expansion came in the year 2000,
The construction of this plant commenced in April, 2003 and Smithfield expected it when it took over Murphy Farms, Inc.
to be completed in February, 2004. Some years ago, in 1999, the company invested Smithfield not only trades in pork, but
15 million dollars in a joint project with the University of North Carolina, where also in beef.
research is going on into ways of converting slurries into electricity.

16 17
 SWINE PRODUCTION IN
Introduction.
globali-
Continuous world demographic growth has left researchers asking
themselves where food will be produced in the future. Which regions
will provide us with areas of land and the availibility of water for the
production of food based on animal and vegetable protein? Which
types of food will it be possible to produce on a large scale, to meet
the needs of the world’s population? This study aims to analyse the
sation and
present situation of world pig production, its growth potential, the
extent to which it will be able to contribute to the production of
animal protein of high biological value, and Brazil’s role in meeting
the challenges of growing world food shortage.
Pig production in the world today.
perspectives for
In 2002, pig breeders all over the world produce 93.62 million ton-
nes of meat, with a livestock of about 1 billion animals. The biggest
production (55.25% of the world’s total) was in Asia. In second place
was the European continent, with 26.92% of production, followed
by the American continent with 16.52%, Africa with 0.78% and
pig production in
Oceania with 0.53% (Table 1).
Brazil
Luciano Roppa,
Veterinary doctor
Principal world producers.
China is by far the biggest pigmeat producer in the world, producing
44.28 million tonnes, 47.3% of the world’s total.It is also the big-
gest individual consumer in terms of quantity, because almost all of
its production is consumed by its more than 1.3 billion inhabitants.
As we can see in table 2, the 10 biggest producers accounted for
77% of the world’s population in 2002 (Table 2).
World consumption of pork.
If we divide world pork production (93.62 million tonnes) by world
population, estimated at the beginning of 2003 to be 6.25 billion
people, we may conclude that consumption was about 14.96 kg per
18
inhabitant. This number is very eloquent,
giving pork first place in the world ran-
king, and earning it the title “The most
consumed meat in the world”. In fact, it
has been the world leader since 1976,
when it overtook bovine meat. In the last
30 years, world pork consumption has
grown by 1.9% a year. (Table 3).
What will world pork
production be in 2010?
According to FAO, world population will
have reached 7 billion by 2010. To esti-
mate world pork production in 2010, we
may take two approaches: the first is to
take consumption per person as the
same as before (14.96%), or to assume
that consumption will continue to incre-
ase at a rate of 1.9% per year. In the lat-
ter case, pork consumption per person
will have reached 17.1 kg in 2010. We
may consider the first possibility to be
pessimistic and the second optimistic. If
we multiply these two perspectives by
the population of 2010 (7 billion peo-
ple), this will lead us to the conclusion
that world pork production will be bet-
ween 104 million, taking the pessimistic
view, and 120 million tonnes if we are
more optimistic.
Where will pig produc-
tion go up in the world?
The need to increase world production
over the next ten years to aid demogra-
phic growth and curb famine leads us to
ask which places will be the best, and
most equipped to cater for this increase
in production. An FAO document entitled
“Agriculture Towards 2010” attempts to
answer this worrying question, on the
basis of reliable statistics which assess
current trends from the viewpoint of
recent history. This study shows that in
1978, 60% of pig production was in
developed countries, with developing
countries producing just 40% of the
total. This percentage, however, has alte-
19
 SWINE PRODUCTION IN
in 2010: Developing countries will account for
60% of world pigmeat production.
red drastically in recent years, with a greater proportion of pig pro-
duction being concentrated in developing countries. This FAO report
concluded that the situation of 1978 will be the exact opposite in
2010: Developing countries will account for 60% of world pigmeat
production. Table 4 below shows this tendency clearly, based on data
covering an 8-year period up to 2002. (Table 4).
In the 8 years between 1995 and 2002, world meat production rose
by 18.68% (from 78.9 to 93.62 million tonnes). If we analyse the
five biggest world producers, we will see that growth was 32.6% in
China, 9.0% in the EU, 10.8% in the U.S.A and 100% in Brazil. China
and Brazil, thanks to their continental dimensions and grain-produ-
cing potential, stand out among the developing countries group.
Brazilian participation in world porcine
production.
Brazil produced 2.68 million tonnes of pigmeat in 2002, a figure
which represented 3% of total world production (Table 5). The num-
ber of pigs was just over 37 million, representing 4% of world pig
livestock. (Table 5).
20
Evolution of pork
production in Brazil.
Brazilian pork production grew by 172%
between 1990 and 2002. This percenta-
ge increase was more than five times
that of world growth (Table 6). Brazilian
participation in world production went
from 1.5% in 1990 to 3.05% in 2002.
(Table 6).
Principal advantages
for pig production in
Brazil.
Brazil holds important advantages over
other areas of the world. With regard to
characteristics and advantages, the low
cost of land, facilities and labour, its
favourable climate and the growth
potential of domestic consumption stand
out.
A comparison of the characteristics of
China, the United States, the European
Union and Brazil enables us to better
understand the positive prospects for
growth in pork production in this part of
the world. Brazil has only 4.4 pigs per
square kilometre, compared to 37.6 in
the EU, a figure which clearly shows its
them are in Brazilian territory: the
Amazon and Plata/Paraná (Table 9).
Brazil possesses 8% of all the planet’s
available fresh water, 80% of which is to
be found in the Amazon region. (Table
9).
The advantage of areas
of land for planting.
Large areas of land and low desertifica-
tion mean that Brazil has great potential
for food production. As we can see in
Table 10, Brazil is already the world’s
potential for expanding production. Moreover, owing to its low per
capita consumption, this growth need not necessarily depend on
exports, though it could be based exclusively on the growing domes-
tic market. It is important to link these considerations to the fact second biggest soya producer and the
that Brazil is erradicating foot-and-mouth disease and is now free third biggest maize producer. Argentina
of classical swine fever in several of its regions, and does not have is the fourth biggest maize producer and
the third biggest of soya. (Table 10).
Table 11 shows how much land in the
principal countries of the world is used.
Brazil is included here because of its size
and its excellent possibilities for expan-
sion. Brazil occupies over 46% of land in
the South American continent and has
great growth potential in agriculture, as
only 14.3% of its territory is currently
exploited. By making use of all of the
PRRS. (Tables 7 and 8). area available, it could produce 3 times
more grain than the present figure of
The advantage of the availability of 100 million tonnes. (Table 11).
water.
The advantages of low
Another of Brazil’s advantages is the availability of fresh water. If we production costs.
observe the location of the world’s largest water reserves, two of
Owing to its self-sufficiency in grain
production and the low cost of premises,
its self-sufficiency in grain
production and the low cost
of premises, labour and
land, Brazil can offer com-
petitive prices
21
 SWINE PRODUCTION IN
labour and land, Brazil can offer competitive prices compared to
those of other regions of the world. Table 12 gives a breakdown of
production costs in various countries of the world, taken from a
study published in the journal Pig International, which gives its
source as “Iowa’s Pork Industry Dollars and Scents, 1998”. As can be
seen, Brazil can boast the lowest production costs of the world’s big-
gest producers (US$ 0.62 per live kilo of pig). It is worth mentioning
that the cost of production in the grain-producing areas of Brazil
(the central western region) reaches US$ 0.50/kg of live pig, making
it one of the lowest production costs in the world. (Table 12).
Table 13 shows production costs in various Latin American coun-
tries, based on information provided by the Breeding Associations of
the respective countries in 2002. The figures are explanatory and
show the excellent competitivity of some countries in the fight for
the world pork export market. (Table 13).
Principal problems of pig production in
Brazil.
Some of the main pig production problems in Brazil are inherent in
developing economies. In this sense, credit difficulties, high taxes,
economic instability and high interest rates are all factors which
impede faster growth in production. Among the other problems, the
traditionally low consumption of pork stands out. In Brazil, bovine
meat and chicken are preferred by the population. In fact, the con-
sumption of pork is very small. This may be a problem today, but it
could be a great opportunity for the future. If we compare what is
the consumption of pork is very small. This
may be a problem today, but it could be a great
opportunity for the future.
happening in South America with the rest of the world (Table 14),
we will see a contrasting situation; the world preference is for pork,
which takes up 42% of consumption, whereas in South America, the
figure is just 13.5%. In the case of bovine meat, exactly the opposi-
22
te occurs; it is the most consumed meat
in South America (51.5%) and the least
consumed in the world (27.8%). (Table
14).
Table 15 shows pork consumption in
several Latin American countries, and
compares it with that in various develo-
ped countries with higher per capita
incomes.As we can see, Chile has the
highest consumption of the continent
(18.5 kg per person, per year) and is the
only one which consumes more than the
world average. These figures show the
growth potential of pork production,
because if a country like Brazil, with its
175 million inhabitants, went from its
present 12.6 kg to the present average
level of world consumption, pork pro-
duction would have to go up by 400
thousand tonnes. This means that this
country could increase its production by
13%, thinking only of its own provisions.
(Table 15).
There are several reasons for this low
consumption: higher costs in relation to
chicken, the spending power of the
population, higher profit margins in
supermarket chains compared to chic-
ken, lower dissemination, less availabi-
lity in restaurants, greater inconvenience
in preparation, greater consumption
through industrialised processses, and
taboos concerning its quality.
Finding a solution to these problems
involves:
- Improving these countries’ economies,
Breaking the taboo over the con-
sumption of pork.
to increase spending power.
- Debating profiting margins with the big supermar-
ket chains.
- Increasing the consumption of meat in natural form.
In Brazil, 30% of pork is consumed in the form of sau-
sages, ham, topside and other industrial products. This
characteristic prevents greater consumption, as indus-
trial products have higher selling prices and are only
accessible to higher income groups. As they are a
minority, most of the population are unable to afford
pork.
- Improving the presentation of raw pork cuts and
developing half-prepared dishes to appeal to the
modern consumer, who has little time for cooking.
- Obtaining certification for the origin of the meat
form the relevant bodies, to guarantee that the con-
sumer is buying a quality product, produced by pro-
fessional farms with a proven record in hygiene.
- Breaking the taboo over the consumption of pork.
One of the most important factors inhibiting con-
sumption is the general unawareness of the current
quality of pork.
- All advances in genetics, nutrition and handling
should be published in continual marketing cam-
paigns and conferences aimed at the medical profes-
sion and nutrition experts. They should also be run in
supermarkets, butcher’s and restaurants, in such a
way that the whole population has access to accurate
information on the excellent quality of this product.
Brazilian pork exports and
imports
In 2002, Brazil was responsible for 13.25% of world
exports, thus making it the 4th largest exporter in the
world (behind Canada, the U.S.A and Denmark). In
2002, Brazil increased its exports to 475 million ton-
nes, and at this time was hoping to increase this figu-
re to 550 million in 2003.Its main customers are
Russia, Hong Kong, Argentina and Uruguay. Brazil currently
exports 19% of its annual production. (Table 16).
Conclusion
Everything discussed here clearly reveals Brazil’s great
competitiveness in relation to the rest of the world. Its
climate, land area, water availability, grain production
and low production costs are highly important contri-
buting factors to high competitiveness. Its has great
possibilities for increasing production to meet an
increase in domestic consumption, and achieve a gre-
ater presence in the world export market. It is there-
fore in a strong position to accept the challenge of the
intensifying quest for food and the inevitable world
population growth.
23