Teagasc report tracks key changes in national pig herd performance

The recently published Teagasc National Pig Performance Report 2025 has highlighted the key changes in technical performance on Irish pig farmers recording data through the Profit Monitor System.

Providing a detailed analysis of pig farm performance in 2025, and based on data from 85 herds across Ireland, the report represents more than 74,500 sows, accounting for approximately 55% of the total Irish sow herd.

Performance figures in the report are presented as weighted averages, with herd size taken into account. The average herd size recorded was 880 sows, ranging from herds with fewer than 100 to more than 2,500 sows.

Herds participating in the PM recording system and engaging with the advisory support of the staff of the Teagasc Pig Development Department continue to demonstrate improvements in technical performance each year, the report shows.

The report also includes some analysis of production costs in a number of the participating herds. An increase in participation in this aspect of the system may well provide a more accurate picture of the actual costs across the sector.

There are indications that those herds that routinely record the full costs of production are the herds with the highest levels of technical efficiency. This would suggest that these herds have lower costs of production than herds which do not check their costs of production routinely.

For further details and to read the full report, visit here: National Pig Herd Performance Report 2025 (PDF)