Planning restrictions continue to stymie the growth of the pig sector in Northern Ireland, according to a leading pedigree breeder.
Owner of the Glenmarshal herd, Trevor Shields, attended last weekend’s Castlewellan Show.
“The processers would be very keen to expand the scope of the pig sector at farm level in Northern Ireland.
“But tightening regulations where both planning and environmental regulations are concerned has made the building of new breeding and production units almost impossible,” Shields said.
Pig sector
According to Shields, pig farmers are making profits at the present time: “It’s this reality that is driving the momentum towards growth within the pig industry.”
“Feed prices have fallen back a little bit of late but actual pig prices have hardly moved over the past few months.
“It has been the significant improvement in pig genetics witnessed over the past decade that is making all the difference, were pig performance is concerned at the present time.
“Feed conversion rates and daily liveweight gains have increased dramatically over the past number of years, and this process will continue to gather momentum,” he continued.
Meanwhile, Shields’ Deepark Sires’ business continues to sell boar semen to customers throughout Ireland and the UK. He hopes to expand the geographic footprint of the operation during the period ahead.
Back in 2020, Glenmarshal Sires was officially accredited to export frozen boar semen to China. The development followed-on from the company’s £150,000 investment in a new, state-of-the-art laboratory at its artificial insemination (AI) station.
Glenmarshal Sires is home to a selection of the world’s elite Landrace, Duroc and Large White blood lines.
The last couple of years have also seen Trevor Shields investing heavily in a pedigree Limousin cattle breeding enterprise.
This year’s Balmoral Show saw him lifting the beef inter-breed championship at the event with an elite heifer – Dinmore Sensation.
She was purchased for 30,000gns at an on-farm sale, held on Dinmore Estate, Herefordshire back in July 2022. Sensation was bred, noted Limousin enthusiast, Paul Dawes.
Her dam is Dinmore Perfection and the sire is Meadowrig Pedro
Sensation was born in Decmber 2021. She is currently five months in calf.
“We had previously taken some embryos from the heifer. She looked an absolute picture at Balmoral. Sensation is very much part of our herd development plans for the future,” Shields said.
The Shields’ pedigree Limousin operation currently extends to 60 cows.
