The number of pigs has dropped in Malta but increased significantly in Gozo and Comino according to the latest figures by the National Statistics Office.

There were a total of 45,209 heads in December, down 1,078 on the previous year. The pig population in Malta dropped by 3.6 per cent but grew by 16.1 per cent in Gozo.

The average pig is slaughtered when six months old, weighing in at about 110 kilos and producing between 83 and 84 kilos of meat once the head and trotters are removed, a spokesman for the Pig Breeders Cooperative Society explains.

Of the total, about 78 kilos of lean meat is split in different meat products. About 7.5 kilos of collar meat is used for bacon or fried/barbecued as steak. The jowl, weighing about 5.5 kilos, is generally processed or used in mince or sausages.

Shoulder meat, weighing about 11 kilos, is used for roasting, mince and sausage meat or processed into sandwich ham.

The loin (15 kilos) stands in stark contrast to the fillet, weighing 1.7 kilos; the belly weighs nine kilos, ribs 2.4 kilos.

About 20 kilos of meat comes from the thigh, according to the society’s spokesman.

The NSO noted that, while there was an increase of 8.5 per cent in the number of young pigs and a 4.8 per cent rise in breeding stock, the number of fattening pigs and piglets dropped by 9.8 and 4.5 per cent respectively.

A total of 111 holdings were engaged in pig production; 64.9 per cent raised fewer than 400 pigs and accounted for 24.4 per cent of total stock, or 11,052 animals.

Big holdings raising 400 animals or more, handled 34,157 pigs, or 75.6 per cent of the total population.

Overall, 41,748 pigs, or 92.3 per cent, were located in farms in Malta.

There were 3,461 heads, or 7.7 per cent of the total stock, in Gozo and Comino.