More pigs in the stables

Statistics Austria reported that a total of 2.73 million pigs were kept in the Alpine country on the reporting date of June 1; this was 39,330 animals or 1.5% more than twelve months earlier. The last time the pig population had been higher was during a summer census in 2015. The main reason for the increase was the larger fattening pig herd, which increased by 3.1% to 1.08 million head within the year.

In addition, the number of piglets and runners weighing less than 50 kg increased by 0.5% to 1.42 million head. In contrast, there was little movement among breeding pigs, whose numbers of 234,330 exceeded the previous year's level by only 0.1%. The number of pregnant sows decreased by 0.1%, but the number of uncovered sows increased by 0.7%.

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According to the Viennese statisticians, the increase in cattle farming was limited. The total herd was just under 1.85 million head; compared to June 2020, that was 2,080 head or 0.1% more. The small increase resulted primarily from the higher number of young cattle under one year of age, which rose by 1.4% to 596,070 head.

In contrast, the number of cattle in the one to two year age group decreased by 0.7%  to 412,700 head, while the number of animals older than 24 months decreased by 0.4% to 837,650 head. In the latter group, however, there was a 1.6% increase in the dairy herd to 531,000 head; in contrast, the keeping of suckler cows declined by 5% to 184,000.

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Austria wants standards in the EU

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The number of cattle farmers in Austria fell once again, decreasing by 2.5% to 54,400 farms within one year. On average, these had 34 animals on the farm.