§ Mr. Farrasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the number in the national pig breeding herd at the latest available date, compared with 1973.
§ Mr. BishopPig breeding herds are subject to substantial cyclical fluctuations, often covering a period of about three years. This needs to be taken into account in comparing any two figures. The United Kingdom herd peaked at a particularly high level in 1973 and 1,015,000 sows and in-pig gilts were recorded in the June census. Numbers fell sharply late in that year and the early386W part of 1974 and were down to 889,000 by the next census. They have shown further fluctuations since then. At the June census this year the breeding herd stood at 843,000 and is currently expanding.