59 ROTECNA WORLD

ROTECNAWORLD NUMBER FIFTY-NINE 2024

TECHNOLOGY CHAIN FEEDING SYSTEM

GLOBALPIG X. ALTEMIR: “AFTER 25 YEARS, WE CONTINUE TO TRUST ROTECNA PRODUCTS FOR THEIR GOOD RESULTS”

PIGPRODUCTION

59

CHINA IS CONSOLIDATING THE RECOVERY OF ITS PORK SECTOR

ROTECNA NEWS A SPRING FULL OF INTERNATIONAL FAIRS

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Nº 59 June 2024

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Production on pig farms, which experienced a slight decline in 2023, is benefiting this year from the decrease in feed costs. The demand for pork remains or even increases in many of the largest markets in the world, such as the United States and China.

Faced with this situation, we should not relax. The industry is at a turning point, and it is imperative to face relevant challenges, such as the spread of African swine fever (ASF) throughout Europe or the impact of PRRS on our farms, without forgetting animal welfare, its perception in society, and its benefits on productivity.

In this context, at Rotecna, we remain firm in our commitment to bringing the most efficient pig equipment solutions to farmers worldwide. During the last three months, we have been present at different industry events, such as Ildex Vietnam and the World Pork Expo in the United States. Both events have testified to the growth of livestock activity and its growth potential.

Attentive to all the opportunities that this entails, the Rotecna team listens carefully to its farmers’ needs to improve their efficiency and profitability in the best possible way.

Antonio Pinos, CEO, Rotecna.

CONTENTS 4. Rotecna News

A spring full of international fairs.

6. Something About The “estimaocells” of Vallbona de les Monges.

8. Technology

Chain feeding system.

12. Global Pig

X. Altemir: “After 25 years, we continue to trust Rotecna products for their good results”.

14. Future News

X. Manteca: “We have the challenge of developing strategies that improve well-being without losing sight of the sector’s competitiveness”.

18. Pig Production in...

China is consolidating the recovery of its pork sector.

Rotecna World Director: Antonio Pinos.

Editor: Francisco García, Tamara Lombardo.

Translation: Sam Smith.

Print: Imprenta Barnola.

L-41-2007 Rotecna's World's editors accept no liability for contributor's opinion.

DIGITAL VERSION /issuu.com/rotecnapress 3

ROTECNANEWS A SPRING FULL OF INTERNATIONAL FAIRS Rotecna has participated in different events such as Ildex Vietnam and World Pork Expo.

Rotecna booth at Ildex Vietnam. Photo: Rotecna.

In our desire to bring our solutions in pig equipment to farmers worldwide, we have traveled to Vietnam, the United States, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, and the United Kingdom during the last three months. We have participated in different fairs and conferences dedicated to the pig industry there, learning about the needs and concerns of their farmers and the reality of the pork industry in each of these countries.

ILDEX Vietnam From May 29 to 31, the Ildex Vietnam fair, a pinnacle event for the livestock industry in the Southeast Asian area, unfolded in Ho Chi Minh. Once again, at Rotecna, we eagerly participated in the exhibition, showcasing our most efficient pig equipment solutions.

Our electronic feeding systems for gestation and maternity sows, the Dositronic G and the Dositronic M, sparked great anticipation among the visiting public, who flocked to our stand to discover the benefits of these systems.

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More than 10,000 people from up to 45 countries attended this event, establishing its great potential as a meeting point for creating contacts and agreements for the Vietnamese pork sector. It is worth highlighting its importance if we consider that in recent years, Vietnam has placed itself as one of the world’s largest producers and consumers of pork. It is the seventh-largest pork producer in the world (behind China, the United States, Spain, Germany, Brazil, and Russia) and the secondlargest pork producer in Asia (only behind China), and in terms of consumption, it is the sixth-largest pork market in the world.

World Pork Expo (United States) The United States has a robust, professional, highly technical, and technologically advanced pork industry. This could be seen at the World Pork Expo, the largest fair dedicated to the pork industry in the United States, held on June 5 and 6 in Iowa. We were there, together with our distributor, American Resources. At a stand

Rotecna team at World Pork Expo. Photo: Rotecna.

of more than 100 m2, we had the opportunity to show the public our wide variety of products for each of the different phases of pig farming.

Again, for two days, the event brought together over 400 exhibiting brands and over 10,000 visitors, mostly pork producers and industry professionals worldwide. And once again, the fair confirmed its potential as a meeting and contact point for an industry that, despite recent years’ adversities, is “gaining muscle” again, showing its great potential and looking forward to the future with optimism.

With a view at Eurotier Looking ahead to Eurotier, the leading fair for the European pork sector, which will be held from November 12 to 15 in Hannover (Germany), we at Rotecna are already immersed in preparations. This event will once again serve as a platform for us to present our latest products, reaffirming our commitment to the future of the pig industry.

5

SOMETHINGABOUT THE “ESTIMAOCELLS” OF VALLBONA DE LES MONGES

Recycling, art, biodiversity, and community are the primary axels of this project.

The “estimaocells” have nest boxes with small containers for water and food.

In the small municipality of Vallbona de les Monges (Lleida), we find some peculiar scarecrows transformed into friendly dolls that attract birds to give them shelter and food.

They are called “estimaocells”. Although it is an open-air museum with rural sculptures for some, they are much more for the residents.

This project, which began more than ten years ago in the annual cultural days, combines such essential values as recycling, art, biodiversity, and community.

A declaration of love for nature The name change from scarecrow to “lovingBirds” is a declaration of intent. If usually the presence of human-shaped figures filled with straw has been intended to scare birds, the “estimaocells” aim to reverse that logic completely. Under this premise, its creator, Eduard Viver, moved by his passion for nature, dressed scarecrows with recycled clothing and replaced their heads with nest boxes with small containers for water and food.

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Since its creation, the project has reached considerable breadth that is one of the keys to its success. And the families of Vallbona de les Monges are in charge of keeping it alive.

Each year, they meet on August and embark on creating and maintaining these unique and original figures. Using various materials, from straw and wood to recycled materials and everyday objects, the creators bring their “estimaocells” to life with overflowing creativity. Designs vary widely, from traditional representations of human figures to story characters, animal figures, and abstract creations. Over time, more families have joined, and more than 40 families have their representation in this small community of characters made with recycled materials.

Every year, within the framework of the fair that Vallbona holds to promote the entire set of activities related to nature offered in that territory, a contest is held in which the most original and well-crafted “estiamocells” are

awarded. A jury of artists and residents of the municipality evaluates the works based on their creativity, technique, and message. The prizes provide an additional incentive for participants, although they all agree that the real prize is the recognition of their neighbours and the satisfaction of contributing to their town’s heritage.

Beyond the “estimaocells” The project aims to challenge its viewers with the question of how we interact with our environment, and seeks to protect and preserve the birds and fauna of the place.

Since its creation, it has been a transformative axis of this town of only 250 inhabitants.

Before the project began, the fauna issue did not stand out in Vallbona, and now it has become quite an attraction.

In this sense, the “estimaocells” have been the starting point of a biodiversity conservation project in the area. Beyond the placement of nest boxes, it includes such interesting actions as the creation of ponds for amphibians or the opening of a network of photographic observatories in old stone cabins used for agricultural activities, where up to 80 species of birds have already been differentiated.

Currently there are a dozen observatories in the area, made with spy glass that allows you to observe all the fauna that surrounds us very closely.

Families, groups of friends and photographers come every week to observe the birds and wildlife that surrounds us. The restoration of dry stone cabins and shelters has given way to observatories fully integrated within the territory and most of them thanks to owners and other farmers in the area who have committed themselves to the faunal heritage we have and want to take care. In fact, they themselves are the ones who accompany visitors to their own observatories.

Over time, the “estimaocells” have spread throughout the territory and can now be found in Catalan municipalities and spaces such as the Ivars and Vila-Sana Pond.

This fact shows the success of a local initiative that currently amasses thousands of visits, and that has become a hallmark of a small municipality and a tourist attraction in the territory.

With the aim of the initiative going even further, Vallbona de les Monges continues to promote its particular creations by inviting experts from the sector to learn about the initiative and participate in open talks.

The families of Vallbona de les Monges are in charge of keeping the project alive.

7

Technology

CHAIN FEEDING SYSTEM

Rotecna has two types of automatic dry feed distribution systems for pig farms: chain drags with cleats and flexible spiral fluidisation.

Docked chain drive systems consist of a closed loop with 90º curves, in which the chain is driven by a unit with a sprocket installed before the silo.

The line begins and ends in the silo and drags the feed between the tacos, stirring the food less, maintaining the pellets and the homogeneity of the flour mixture more completely. These systems are best suited for installations with short lines and batch management per room since there are no problems in alternating the limit switches from room to room when filling and emptying them or changing the type of feed.

The extraction This element is the beginning and end of the closed circuit; the studded chain passes through them, loaded with feed. They are made of stainless steel and incorporate a feed-outflow control system. There are three types: Gravity filling: They have an adjustable scraper to adjust the flow. Some are for granules (simple and the size of spiral boxes) or flour (simple and double with a larger inlet). These extractors are unsuitable for systems where food is returned to the extractor since this is added to the one the extractor takes again, and the system could become saturated if it is very long.

Self-propelled machined: They have a fixed internal spiral that moves with the passage of the chain and fills the line tube with a flow rate regulated by the diameter and pitch of the internal spiral (they fill 50% or 25% of the tube). They are simple and significant openings for granules and flour. These extractors have a system that discharges the line’s return at the beginning of the fixed spiral, allowing the return to be recirculated without overloading the line.

Motorized machined: They have a fixed internal spiral operated by an independent motor that controls the flow with which the line is filled.

They are simple and effective openings for granules and flour.

The cone of the silo Its function is to connect the silo with the extraction and allow its closure. They can be single (for one extraction) or double (for two).

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It is recommended that a section of transparent tube be installed at the extraction exit to check the filling percentage of the line tube.

Line tubes Chain lines work in compression. When the chain passes between two curves, it tends to push against each other, creating much friction against the surface where it rests and runs.

Metal tubes are ideal for their resistance and rigidity, but if the lines are correctly fastened and the tube thickness is adequate, PVC pipes can also be used. We work with Ø60 mm galvanized tube lines with a minimum coating of 20 microns of zinc with eight-bolt metal tube joints to ensure a safe and resistant joint.

Studded chain The chain is made of specially reinforced steel with a breaking load greater than 3,200 kg and is tested metre by metre at 1,250 kg to guarantee its resistance and stretch it so that it does not do so once installed. The steel is tough to ensure minimal wear on the surface of the links with friction from use.

The chain studs can be Ø38 or Ø44 mm and are injected without plastic between the links.

Thanks to this, the chain is much more malleable for installation; it barely stretches once installed and loads very little feed on the blocks, which is crucial in multiphase systems.

Along the route of the lines inside the warehouses, depending on the distribution of the pens, the drop-mouths with their respective downpipes (for filling ad libitum feeders) or dispensers (for animals with restricted feeding) are installed. As a linear distribution system, the feeders or dispensers are filled consecutively: first, second, third..., and so on until the end of the line. Inside the last hopper or dispenser, a sensor is installed so that the motor stops when it is complete, and after this, a capacitive safety sensor is installed on the line, which would stop the motor in case the sensor of the last feeder or dispenser does not.

9

Technology

CHAIN FEEDING SYSTEM

Corners It makes 90º turns on the line thanks to the internal pulley and allows ascending and descending sections. In 2001, Rotecna marked a milestone with the launch of our chain system, as it had the first corner with a clip system, which sped up the installation and maintenance of corners in front of which they closed with bolts. In turn, the curved spoke pulley, with the direction of rotation, allows the corner to self-clean while turning, considerably reducing friction inside the corner. The high-strength fibre polyamide pulley has a stainless-steel bearing for durability.

in case of jams and lengthen the chain life by reducing tension and wear on the plastic studs.

In addition, the length of the tensioning pulley allows it to absorb more significant initial stress, which, combined with the option of a reducer with 20% fewer revolutions per minute, allows for more extended systems to be made than conventional systems. The pulley has a double-acting, interlocking pulley sensor, which protects the machine from overvoltage and chain loosening. It is also very accessible for easy inspection and maintenance. The finishes of the machine, the gear motor, and the internal chain tension system improve water-tightness and reduce the space needed for installation.

High-capacity traction machine Other innovations we launched with our chain system more than twenty years ago were the drive wheel with independent synthetic teeth, a damping system, and a fuse on the axle. These innovations increase the installation’s safety

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Power systems must be designed and sized according to each installation’s needs. Rotecna analyses each case and offers the best solution for optimal feed distribution inside farms, offering reliable, efficient, and safe systems.

11

GLOBALPIG X. ALTEMIR: “AFTER 25 YEARS, WE CONTINUE TO TRUST ROTECNA PRODUCTS FOR THEIR GOOD RESULTS”

With a production capacity of 3,500 sows, Granja Comorera SL has had many of Rotecna’s pig equipment solutions since its beginning.

Since its construction 25 years ago, many things have changed in Granja Comorera SL, located in the Huesca municipality of Estopiñán del Castillo.

Despite all these changes, their confidence in Rotecna’s pig equipment solutions remains as good as it was on the first day. We spoke with Xavier Altemir Xipell, the current manager of the farm, with whom we reviewed the evolution of this livestock facility, which currently has a capacity for 3,500 production sows.

When and why did you decide to commit yourself to pig farming?

It is something vocational that comes to me from when I was little. We had some sows at home, and they had always interested me. I studied agricultural engineering and specialised in animal production. When I finished my studies, I did an internship on a pig farm, and when I finished, I already started working in this sector, to which I am still linked. I have been in charge of Granja Comorera SL in Estopiñán del Castillo (Huesca), belonging to Grupo Piensos Costa, SA, for seventeen years.

The farm’s capacity was 3,500 sows at its beginning. How has it evolved?

Today, we maintain the capacity of 3,500 productive sows, but many things have changed.

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Xavier Altemir in front of the Comorera farm. Photo: Xavier Altemir.

When the farm was built, it also had 9,600 weaning places where 18-kilogram piglets were delivered. Due to animal welfare modifications, we removed these weaning places and replaced them with new farrowing pens and covering rooms. In 2020, a new 18,000-seat weaning farm was built on a farm 5 kilometres from the sows’ farm, and, in addition, a farm was acquired to be used for breeding.

After these changes, how has the distribution of the farm changed?

Since its construction, it has changed a lot, especially the interior. It is essential to denote that we work with the nulliparous sows separately in covering. Therefore, we have a covering area for nulliparous and another for multiparous. The pens of confirmed gestation sows have also been modified and adapted to the different regulations regarding welfare, and we currently work with pens of 13 to 15 animals. On the other hand, in the beginning, we had a warehouse with

24 farrowing rooms with 24 seats each, a total of 576 places. So, we were weaning after 21 days.

We created five new rooms with 56 farrowing pens each when we built the new weaning farm.

This way, we increased our capacity with 280 new farrowing places and weaned after 28 days.

What are these lactation places like?

We can differentiate between the old and the new. The first are smaller and have an area of 1.60 x 2.40 m. There are cast iron slats under the sow, plastic slats on the sides and Rotecna dispensers.

The newer rooms are a weaning conversion and are “sandwich” type, with four aisles and seven animals on each side. These pens are more prominent; they have dimensions of 1.70 x 2.70 m, and the Rotecna slats and dispensers also have the Ni-2 Corner, which makes handling the animals much easier for us, providing more comfort to the animals. Piglets even increase their weight and represent significant energy savings.

At the time, they already had Rotecna solutions.

Why do they still trust the brand?

It is an up-to-date brand with innovative, quality products and extended durability. When the farm was built, many of Rotecna’s pig equipment solutions were installed, and after more than 25 years, we continue to trust them for the good results they offer us. Currently, almost all farrowing pen products are Rotecna’s. We have the slats, nests, dispensers, the Basic Post Beam floor support system, etc.

What future investments do you have planned?

The farm is now 25 years old, and we have to make essential modifications because many things have changed in all this time. Right now, we are awaiting a significant restructuring. We must remodel the entire farm to implement feed automation with Rotecna’s Dositronic system, use cleaning robots, adapt handling, etc. To

Interior view of one of the farrowing rooms. Photo: X.A..

move forward, many things must be considered, especially regarding productivity, sustainability, and animal welfare.

How do you assess the evolution of the Spanish pork industry in the last 25 years?

It has been immense. If we entered a farm 25 years ago and one from today, we could already see the significant steps that the industry has taken in terms of management, well-being, biosafety, automation, health, disinfection, and cleaning of facilities, etc. We have become professional and have adapted to all the regulations that have arisen, both in terms of animal welfare and environmental sustainability, thanks to which animals live much better and the impact on the environment has been reduced. Thanks to this we can produce better products at lower costs. Today, our farms are more efficient than 25 years ago.

Where do you think the industry should go now?

We must inform society, the people who see us from the outside and do not know our reality.

It is necessary to explain what we do, who we are, how we work, and the value we give to rural areas where we are an engine of job creation and population fixation in the towns. We are vital assets, but we have to make ourselves better known and explain all the good things we have.

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FUTURENEWS “WE HAVE THE CHALLENGE OF DEVELOPING STRATEGIES THAT IMPROVE WELL-BEING WITHOUT LOSING SIGHT OF THE SECTOR’S COMPETITIVENESS”

Caudophagy and castration without anaesthesia continue to be long-term issues in animal welfare.

Xavier Mantenca, professor and expert in animal welfare. Photo: X.M.

The perception of the importance of animal welfare and its benefits on the condition of animals and farm productivity has changed exponentially in the last 25 years. What in 1998 some described as a fad has been established as a critical factor for its future from the pork sector, a professional need to do things well, and social pressure to produce more sustainably. In 1998, professor and animal welfare expert Xavier Manteca was already discussing the growing concern in the industry about animal welfare.

Twenty-seven years later, we analyze with him how welfare has evolved on Spanish farms and the pending challenges.

What was the perception of the industry in terms of animal welfare 25 years ago?

In 1998, animal welfare was relatively new in Spain, not in other countries, but in Spain, where it was seen with disbelief, scepticism, and particular animosity. First of all, it was thought this was a trend in northern European 14

countries, which needed to be clarified in other countries like ours. It was also believed that it would significantly harm the profitability and economic sustainability of the sector. Luckily, we are in a very different situation now, and no one thinks animal welfare is a fad. However, it must be paid attention to because it is something important that affects sustainability, not only socially but also economically and the health of the sector. Since then, we have overcome one of the noteworthy challenges already beginning to be discussed in those years: the prohibition of cages in gestation. A standard answer then was that it was about an unrealistic change and that practically all gestation sows would abort. This has not been the case, and production rates, at least, are maintained with group gestation systems, and the Spanish pork industry continues to be enormously competitive.

What has happened in these 30 years so that animal welfare has positioned itself as a priority issue on farms, and more and more rulings are being legislated in this regard?

Two things have happened. The first is that society’s sensitivity to this issue has increased in and outside Europe, and that sensitivity is increasing, which is why legislators respond

to this social demand. On the other hand, something that is equally important has happened to me, and that is that we have more and more scientific evidence that improving animal welfare conditions has positive effects on the sustainability of the industry and its productivity. This is not just about meeting societal expectations, but also about ensuring the long-term economic viability of the pork industry. For example, when one of the crucial challenges is the issue of antimicrobial resistance, there is increasing evidence that having good management and well-being standards, optimal biosafety, and good vaccination programs allows us to reduce or rationalize antimicrobials. Therefore, two factors have come together: first, there is an increase in social sensitivity throughout Europe and beyond, and, on the other hand, there is evidence that improving animal welfare has positive and significant effects on production.

“We have more and more scientific evidence that improving animal welfare conditions has positive effects on the sustainability of the industry”.

What are some pending issues in the industry regarding animal welfare that have not been addressed in recent years?

There are three things, some of which were already beginning to be discussed then and still need to be entirely resolved. One of them is the prevention of autophagy in the bait.

Many factors influence this, from providing the animals with manipulable material to the

Pregnant sows housed in groups. Photo: A. P.

densities of the pens, ventilation, etc. This unresolved issue is still on the table: strategies to prevent autophagy without always resorting to tail docking. Next is the problem of castration without anaesthesia or analgesia, which remains a challenge. Something that was not on the table then and is now is a possible change in the farrowing room accommodation system.

Is this change towards free sowhood one of the significant future challenges in animal welfare in the short and medium term?

It seems so, and there are already farms that are doing it. Therefore, there is no doubt that working with different maternity housing systems is viable. What is certain is that there are various alternatives to answer this question. Free farrowing pens are an option, but there are other possibilities. That is, there is the possibility of continuing to restrict sow movement for some time when there is a greater risk of piglet crushing and then offering the sow more freedom of movement. It is true that, like all changes, it will have an economic cost, as the shift from gestation cages to group accommodation once had. This cost, however, should be seen as an investment in the future of the industry, ensuring its continued competitiveness and meeting evolving societal 15

FUTURENEWS

Working with different maternity housing systems is viable. Photo: Rotecna.

expectations. But what I would like to think is that in this case, we will know how to anticipate the legal requirements and do not leave the change until the last minute.

“If we had to choose a single strategy to improve animal welfare, the most effective would be to improve people’s training”.

Is there a limit on animal welfare?

As in any other area of life, you can continuously improve. Perfection does not exist. Scientific research advances, discovers new strategies, and we know many important things to do.

One of them, which is essential for me when we want to improve animal well-being, is staff training. Many studies show that if we had to choose a single strategy to improve animal welfare, the most effective would be to improve people’s training, training, and job satisfaction. It is absurd, not only for ethical and 16

moral reasons but also for practical reasons, to demand very high animal welfare and not worry about the welfare of the people who have the animals under their responsibility. Therefore, we can always have a more trained staff, and it can constantly be improved.

Does the sector’s future involve adapting to all the animal welfare requirements and regulations that may arise?

Because assuming adapting to regulations is a legal imperative, there is nothing more. But beyond that, no one doubts that the industry has essential challenges, some related to the perception of public opinion, and, of course, the only way to respond to those challenges is to do things every time. Better in terms of animal welfare and other areas. For this reason, if we want the Spanish pork industry to continue to be competitive and a leading industry in the world, as it already is now, that means considering animal welfare.

Precisely referring to increasingly demanding public opinion. Do you think the consumer

will have to pay more in the future for better production in terms of well-being?

It is possible that not only animal welfare but also other requirements could have an impact on production costs and, therefore, on the price of meat. We can’t rule it out. In any case, I believe that the challenge that people who are dedicated to animal welfare have is to find strategies and work together with producers and with the industry in general to develop strategies that improve animal welfare without losing sight of the importance that the industry is economically competitive. If the numbers do not come out at the end of the year, the other sustainability is no longer relevant because the economic activity disappears. So, I believe that there is a long way to go and much room for improvement and that with imagination and rigorous work, they can achieve standards of very high animal welfare, much higher even than what we have, and at the same time maintain the economic competitiveness of the sector.

Finally, do you think that by improving animal welfare, we also enhance the sector’s image and, therefore, the pork consumption figures?

I believe that some members of society’s criticisms of the pork industry or livestock farming are possibly related to environmental and animal welfare issues. For what is so important, we have to work well on both aspects and tell them. It is likely that no matter how well we do things, there is always a part of the population that is critical, but that is not a tragedy either. However, a good part of society would be very receptive and respond very well to the fact that the industry not only worked well in all these areas, which it already does, but was also proactive in communicating these improvements to society.

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PIGPRODUCTIONIN CHINA IS CONSOLIDATING THE RECOVERY OF ITS PORK SECTOR

In 2023, the country reached 56.9 million tons, 2.6% more than the previous year.

Interior of a pig farm in China. Photo: P. G.

China is one of the most critical players in the pork industry worldwide. And, despite the severe crisis that Chinese pigs experienced due to African swine fever (ASF) and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the country is the world’s largest pork products producer, consumer, and meat importer. In 2021, it began a process of recovery of its production, with the reduction in imports that this entailed. This trend intensified in 2023 when China reached pork production of 56.9 million tons, 2.6% higher than that recorded the previous year. In this way, Chinese production accounted for 49.3% of all world pork production.

Structure and particularities of the sector China accounts for around 58% of the world’s pig census. According to data from 2023, the country has 452.6 million pigs and 40 million registered breeding sows. In addition, 18

its industry has more than 1,900 giant pig farms, which have been expanding in recent years to different Chinese regions within the framework of the State Plan for the Regulation of Pig Production Capacity, whose objective is to adjust supply. Demand in the Chinese pork market is also needed to achieve total productive self-sufficiency. However, although pork production in China is recovering its pre2019 numbers, its pig census has been slightly reduced in the last year.

On the other hand, since ASF arrived in China in 2018, outbreaks have continually emerged in different regions. However, thanks to health control and the technical means that the Chinese authorities made available to the pig industry, the outbreaks have been increasingly less virulent and with less impact. This fact has meant a slight rebound in the price of pork during 2023, which has positively affected the

YEAR

Census (Million of heads)

Slaughtered pigs (Millions of heads)

Meat production (Thousands of Tonnes)

2019

428,07

597

42.550

2020

310.41

455

36.340

2021

406.50

615

47.500

2022

449.22

713

55.410

2023

452.56

705

56.900

% Variation 2019 / 2023

5.72%

18.09%

33.73%

economy of many pig farms.

In recent years, however, increases in production costs have significantly reduced their profitability.

Consumption and market It is no secret that pork is very popular in China and is the primary source of protein for its consumers. In 2023, per capita consumption exceeded 42.1 kilos per inhabitant per year, a figure well above any other product of animal origin. Despite its extensive production, the high consumption of pork by the Chinese population makes the import of this food essential.

Thus, in 2023, China consumed 59.4 million tons of pork, or in other words, 51.7% of all pork consumed worldwide that year.

To cover this consumption, it was necessary to import 2.68 million tons of this food for a value of 5,872.6 million euros.

Spain remains the leading pork supplier to China, and in 2023, it contributed 26% of pork purchases to this market. Spain sold 560,488 tons of pork to China, totalling 1,223.16 million pigs (2.33 euros / kilo exported). These exports consisted mainly of frozen meats, offal, cured hams and shoulders, and cooked hams and shoulders. Other major exporters to China are the United States (15.9%), Brazil

(15.8%), Netherlands (9.0%), Canada (9.0%), and Denmark (8.80%).

These figures demonstrate Chinese pork imports’ great potential in the global pork market, where exchanges occur yearly. The figures are close to 9.6 million tons.

Future forecasts According to forecasts from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), pork production is expected to decline by around 3% due to the slight reduction in the pork census. This reduction could impact imports, which could grow, although marginally.

Regarding consumption, a slight drop has also been forecast.

Chinese pig sector has more than 1,900 giant pig farms. Photo: P.G.

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OWN DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE 30 YEARS DEVELOPING HIGH RESISTANCE PLASTIC (POLYPROPYLENE) FEEDERS

FEEDERS GROW FEEDER MAXI

Fattening, WTF

TR4 FEEDER

Weaning

GROW FEEDER MINI

Weaning

TR5 FEEDER

Weaning

SOW FEEDER

Farrowing

TR2 FEEDER

Fattening

SWING R3 DUO SWING R3 WET

Weaning, Fattening, WTF Weaning, Fattening, WTF

TR3D FEEDER

Fattening

SF3D FEEDER

Fattening, WTF

SWING R3 TUBE

Weaning, Fattening, WTF

TR7D FEEDER

Weaning

SOW BOWL FEEDING BALL

Farrowing, Fattening, Gestation Farrowing, Gestation

ANTI-STRESS FEEDER ANTI-STRESS CHAIN

PANS MAXI PAN

Adaptation pan - Weaning

MAXI HOPPER PAN

Adaptation pan - Weaning

MAXITAINER para MAXI PAN

Tank for liquids

TECNA PAN Plato 1ª edad

Adaptation pan - Farrowing

EASY PAN Plato 1ª edad

Adaptation pan - Farrowing

WALL PAN

Adaptation pan - Farrowing

MINI PAN

Adaptation pan - Farrowing

MINI HOPPER PAN

Adaptation pan - Farrowing

MINITAINER

Tank for liquids

Rotecna, s.a.

Polígono Industrial, s/n, nave-3 · 25310 Agramunt (Lleida) SPAIN · Tel: +34 973391267 · Fax: +34 973391232

COVERS AND NI-2 NI-2 CORNER

Farrowing

NI-2 MOBILE

Farrowing

NI-2 WEANING 5W LED LAMP

ELECTRONIC FEEDING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS DOSITRONIC M

DOSITRONIC G EVOFEED

Farrowing

Gestation Transition

SILOTRONIC

DRINKING BOWLS & VRH-3 VALVE

DISPENSERS

VRH

Gestation and farrowing

CLUTCH DISPENSER

VRH-3D

Gestation and farrowing

DOSIMATIC

SWING DRINKER

Weaning and fattening

SIMPLEX D-2

EASY DRIKER MINI

Farrowing (piglets)

FOUR

Weaning

FIVE

EASY DRIKER MIDI

STAINLESS STEEL DRINKERS Sows, weaning and fattening

SIX-D SIX-S SEVEN

Gestation and farrowing

THE MOST EXTENSIVE RANGE OF PRODUCTS FOR PIG EQUIPMENT

DOWNPIPES 60 2 x 60Ø / 75Ø mm 60Ø / 63 - 70Ø mm

CHAIN AND DISK SYSTEM • • • •

Shock absorbing teeth system.

Easy adjustable chain tensioning system with graduation scale.

Corners with easy aperture system.

Silo extraction system with an agitator.

CORNER 50Ø / 60Ø ULTRA-RESISTANT CHAIN 38Ø / 44Ø mm

GEAR MOTORS

AUGER SYSTEM

The silo outlet system consist of a silo boot, a transfer unit and a slide gate assembly that allows horizontal and inclined installation.

EXTRACTION SINGLE / DOUBLE

TRANSFER UNIT

SPIRALS 55Ø / 75Ø / 90Ø mm

www.rotecna.com

DOWNPIPES 50 - 60 - 90 63Ø mm

SLATS

measurements in cm

WEANER 10

10X40

WEANER

10x50

20X40

BLIND

60X40

60X50

60X60 60X80

60X40

60X50

60X60

10% OPEN

60X60

PARTIAL BLIND

60X50 A 60X50 B

SOW

60X20 60X30 60X40

60X60

20X60 60X80

TRAP SLAT

60X40*

WEAN TO FINISH

20X60

60X40

60X50

ELECTRIC PLATE

60X40 120X40

120X50

120X60

WATER PLATE

60X40 120X40

120X50

120X60

CAST IRON

60X40

60X60

FERROCAST LEVEL BED

60X60 120X60

FERROCAST RAISED

100X60

120X60

PANELS BLIND PANEL 1200X1000 VENTILATED PANEL 1200X1000 PANELS MADE TO SIZE PROFILES FOR PANELS DOORS POLIAMID UNION BRAKETS FOR PANELS

FLOOR PVC PVC PROFILES (50,25,10 cm) CLOSE PVC PEN DIVIDERS OPEN PVC PEN DIVIDERS DOORS FAST LOCK BRACKETS U BRACKETS SOLID GRIP

DELTA BEAM PROFILE T PROFILE

135 / 120 Perfil 120 / 90

DELTA NET SYSTEM

Raisable flooring system

ERGOFIX

Bracket for plastic and concrete grills

BASIC POST BEAM

Stand for pig grill support beams

CLICK-IN

Insert to blind concrete grills

THE MOST EXTENSIVE RANGE OF PRODUCTS FOR PIG EQUIPMENT

www.tecnapur.com COMPONENTS OF THE TECNAPUR SYSTEM

ELECTRONIC FLOW METER

SOLIDS SEPARATOR TP-01

AGITATOR

PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL REACTOR

SUBMERGIBLE VORTEX PUMP

TECNAPUR is a product by Rotecna, S.A. Pol. Ind. N-3 · 25310 Agramunt (Lleida) Spain • Tel. (+34) 973 39 12 67 • www.rotecna.com • rotecna@rotecna.com

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CONTROL PANELS