Recent statistics from Bavaria reveal that while the number of pigs increased slightly to 2,435,700 as of November last year, the count of pig farms has decreased significantly. The decline in pig farms has seen a reduction of about 100 farms, leaving roughly 3,160 operational farms in the region. This has resulted in a rise in the average size of farms, now accommodating an average of 771 pigs. A notable concentration is observed, as nearly 60% of the pig population is raised in just 930 large-scale farms, each housing over 1,000 animals.

Despite this slight uptick in the pig population, the overall trend since 2015 shows a significant decline in pig numbers within Bavaria, which were once close to 3.3 million pigs across about 5,500 farms. The period between 2016 and 2022 marked a considerable drop in hog stocks which has since stabilized, although the larger farms have increasingly taken a larger share of the market. Farms with fewer than 100 pigs have diminished significantly in both number and overall pig count, now totaling only about 21,600 pigs.

The situation highlights ongoing shifts in the agricultural practices within Bavaria, where larger farms are becoming more prevalent, potentially raising concerns about the sustainability and biological diversity of farming practices in the region. This evolving landscape of pig farming raises questions regarding the future of small-scale pig farmers and the implications for animal welfare, consumer choices, and agricultural policies in Bavaria.