France livestock population: fattening pigs of 50 kg or over
France livestock population: fattening pigs of 50 kg or over stood at 4,870.83 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 | |
| Fattening pigs of 50 kg or over | 4,870.83 | 4,881.46 | 4,837.29 | 5,067.84 | 5,309 | 5,343 | 5,461 | 5,574 | 5,436 | 5,171 | |
| Breeding pigs | 822.37 | 843.54 | 859.66 | 880.01 | 941 | 979 | 992 | 1,026 | 1,007 | 994 |
Understanding france livestock population: fattening pigs of 50 kg or over
Fattening pigs of fifty kilograms or over livestock population counts heavy porcine animals being prepared for final commercial slaughter and meat processing. The tally encompasses all growing and finishing hogs weighing fifty kilograms or more, regardless of sex, while excluding adult breeding boars and sows. This heavy category constitutes the largest volume of animals moving directly toward slaughterhouse supply chains.
Reading this indicator requires evaluating slaughter scheduling, plant capacity constraints, and market price incentives that encourage either prompt marketing or holding animals to heavier weights. Revisions to early estimates are minimal due to the short duration of the final finishing period. Year-on-year comparisons provide a reliable proxy for immediate pork production output and domestic meat supply availability.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the minimum weight requirement for inclusion in this fattening category?
- Animals must weigh fifty kilograms or more to enter this heavy finishing population count.
- Does this series include adult breeding sows culled for meat?
- No, culled breeding animals are tracked within the dedicated breeding stock category rather than heavy fatteners.
- How quickly do animals in this cohort reach slaughter weight?
- Pigs in this finishing stage typically reach final market weight within a matter of weeks depending on feeding regimes.