Large differences in layer hen sector |
26/10/2017 |
Layer hen farmers who have been able to continue their egg production the past months, have profited from increased selling prices. While other farms suffered large losses due to the Fipronil crisis, the monthly margins of a standard layer hen farm with continued production was 41,000 euros higher than last year. The development in the margins for broiler chicks was less spectacular. Although the diference is becoming smaller, the margins have been under the long-term average for more than a year now. For fattening pigs, margins have been quite stable sinds July but they were 2,700 euros lower than in 2016. In contrast, sow farming can look back on excellent results. Due to higher piglet prices in particular, total margins for sows up to and including the third quarter of this year were twice as high as in the same period of 2016. The monthly margins of a standardised dairy farm in September 2017 increased further to 18,500 euros, against 10,900 euros a year earlier. The increase is largely due to the higher milk yields and somewhat lower costs. |