France livestock population: breeding pigs
France livestock population: breeding pigs stood at 822.37 thousand heads in 2025, according to Eurostat – crop production in EU standard humidity (apro_cpsh1), French agricultural statistics. It is one of the indicators in the Agriculture: annual production and accounts table (Value · Annual), with a complete series running from 1969 to 2025. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Agriculture: annual production and accounts table
| Indicator | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pigs | 11,643.76 | 11,714.94 | 11,794.05 | 12,182.59 | 12,941 | 13,393 | 13,510 | 13,713 | 13,353 | 12,791 | |
| Breeding pigs1 | 822.37 | 843.54 | 859.66 | 880.01 | 941 | 979 | 992 | 1,026 | 1,007 | 994 | |
| Breeding sows of 50 kg or over | 815.51 | 836.33 | 851.99 | 869.27 | 928 | 965 | 984 | 1,018 | 998 | 986 |
Understanding france livestock population: breeding pigs
Breeding pigs livestock metrics quantify the number of adult porcine animals dedicated primarily to reproduction, encompassing gestating sows, gilts that have already been served, and active boars held within domestic agricultural holdings. This specific grouping isolates the foundational breeding stock from animals being raised exclusively for slaughter, thereby omitting market hogs and unweaned piglets. Tracking this segment provides a direct measure of reproductive capacity and future piglet generation potential across the swine farming sector.
Evaluating this census requires caution regarding cyclical biological gestation periods and structural shifts in farm specialization, which can introduce discontinuities in historical data series. Initial estimates published following rural surveys are routinely revised as administrative register data from veterinary and slaughter databases become finalized. Analysts should prioritize year-on-year comparisons to eliminate seasonal farrowing patterns. Directly contrasting breeding inventory levels with subsequent slaughter weights or pork production figures can reveal changes in carcass yields and herd productivity over time.
Frequently asked questions
- Does the breeding pigs series include market hogs destined for slaughter?
- No, market hogs and fattening pigs are recorded under separate categories, leaving this series dedicated strictly to animals maintained for reproduction.
- Why are annual comparisons preferred over sequential periods for this series?
- Annual comparisons remove the distortion of seasonal farrowing cycles and natural breeding rhythms that occur within the swine industry.
- What triggers revisions in early breeding pig estimates?
- Initial figures are updated when complete administrative registry data and finalized agricultural census returns replace preliminary sample surveys.