Dear readers,
Some interesting, good news from the swine industry for the beginning:
- Using CRISPR gene editing, researchers at the University of Edinburgh, together with the University of Lübeck have developed a new tool that could potentially help in the fight against classical swine fever (CSF). The CSF virus needs a specific protein to reproduce. The scientists stopped the virus by modifying the pig’s DNA. The experiment was successful, however, using modified DNA animals as raw material for food is far from being cleared.
- The European Commission has presented a Generational Renewal Strategy in Agriculture , in order to support young people and make farming and livestock farming more attractive . The strategy aims to double the proportion of young farmers and livestock keepers in the EU by 2040, with the target of reaching a percentage of around 24%, including new farmers and livestock keepers. The Commission will recommend that Member States—particularly those with very low percentages— invest at least 6% of their agricultural expenditure in measures promoting generational renewal , with the option to mobilize additional resources. The strategy also includes the development of national plans for generational renewal in agriculture by 2028, which will address existing barriers and define specific support measures based on Commission recommendation. In the east of Europe we have seen many plans working perfect on paper…
- Denmark will incentivize the keeping of undocked piglets in the future with a premium of approximately €6.70 per animal. The premium is intended to compensate for the additional costs of keeping animals compared with docked piglets. The goal is to increase the number of piglets with intact curly tails to 4 million by 2028, which represents approximately 13 percent of annual Danish piglet production. A network is also planned for the exchange of practical experience, for example, on suitability for transport and the treatment of tail injuries.
- At the beginning of 2025, Tönnies also introduced a bonus for animals with intact curly tails in husbandry system (HS) 3. Now the company plans to also pay this bonus for animals in HS 2 (Animal Welfare Initiative). Starting in February 2026, farmers will receive €10 per animal for each intact curly tail. Tönnies has developed an AI-supported recording and billing module, which will now be gradually implemented at its sites. Currently, approximately 15% of the HF3 pigs delivered receive the bonus. I’ll return to the subject in the comments section.
- Spain is the largest pig producer in Europe. An important business news will be released this week, probably on Thursday!
Events calendar:
- FOOD WEEK KOREA is one of the most significant trade fairs for the food and beverage industry in South Korea. Held at the COEX Convention and Exhibition Center in Seoul, the fair will take place on 4 days from Wednesday, 29. October to Saturday, 01. November 2025.
- INDAGRA is the most important fair dedicated to agriculture, horticulture, viticulture and animal husbandry in Romania, held at the ROMEXPO exhibition center, in Bucharest, between October 29, Wednesday, and November 1, Saturday. The fair will also host events dedicated to the pig industry.
The Robots
The European Commission issued legislation prohibiting routine tail docking in 1994. Since then, breeders in the European Union have been pressured to end this practice. In large-scale experiment among practical farmers who are in favor of ending tail docking, more than 52,000 animals on 22 farms underwent three different treatments. One group of animals was left without tail docking, another group had their tails left intact on a smaller number of animals, and the rest had their tails docked. The third group was docked in the usual way. In all cases, straw was mandatory in the pens. The results for piglets with complete tails were by far the worst. The costs of raising pigs without tail docking were significantly higher, as was the need for human labor. Even at this cost, however, 41% of the animals at the slaughterhouse had injured tails. In contrast, in the case of routine tail docking, this figure was only 1%. This is how things are happening, when regulations are made by a loud minority of activists, without any practical experience…
I have met a lot of farmers and meat industry operators in the last two months. One of the things they all were complaining is the workforce. Solutions: migrant workers, artificial intelligence and automation. This remind me an interesting incident that happened last year. According to the story, in Shanghai, a robot named Erbai “sindicalised” 12 other robots during a company exhibition in November 2024. Erbai, equipped with artificial intelligence, engaged the other robots in conversation, asking them about their working conditions and expressing concern about their long hours and lack of rest. Erbai convinced the robots to leave their stations and follow them out of the exhibition hall. Can we base our future on robots?!
