The mainland is the world's largest producer and consumer of pork, but it still needs to import a large amount every year, and the data shows that Denmark has been one of the largest meat importers in China in recent years, and Denmark's pig industry is world-famous.
Denmark is not a big agricultural country, but it is definitely an agricultural powerhouse. Denmark is known as the "European food cabinet", one of the countries with the smallest urban-rural gap in the world, and is recognized as one of the countries with the best agricultural problems solved in the world.
Denmark only covers an area of about 43,000 square kilometers, with a total population of about 5.91 million, and a per capita arable land area of 1.1 mu, which is smaller than the per capita arable land area on the mainland, but Denmark's agriculture and animal husbandry are very developed, the level of agricultural and animal husbandry science and technology ranks among the world's advanced, and the vast majority of agricultural and animal husbandry products are exported, of which the export volume of pork ranks first in the world, and it is a veritable world pig power.
So, as a small Nordic country, Denmark is not as good as southern European countries in terms of climatic conditions, and its natural resource endowment is not as good as other Nordic countries, why can it become a world pig power? How do they raise pigs?
6 people raise 17,000 pigs
Speaking of the Danish pig industry, it has a history of 150 years, and pig farming in Denmark must undergo professional study and training before they can work, so the workers in each of their pig factories are actually knowledgeable pig experts; At present, gene biotechnology and computer automatic control system have been widely used in various pig industries, and the technology of disease control, feed management, genetic breeding and other technologies of pigs is in the leading position in the world; Therefore, a professional, mechanized, large-scale and efficient pig breeding mode has been formed.
Today, Denmark's 5,000 pig farms produce about 30 million pigs a year, equivalent to each person raising 5 pigs, 90% of which are exported, accounting for about 23% of Danish agricultural exports, and is the world's third largest pork exporter.
Denmark has a long history of agriculture and occupies an important position in the national economy. Jens Wren, Chief Advisor to the Danish Council for Agriculture and Food, said Denmark's "agricultural fairy tale" is a story of value chains that have been built and optimised for more than 150 years. In the case of the pig industry, first of all, Danish pig farms are highly automated and digitalized. In many ways, machines help freed farmers from the heavy lifting of feeding and cleaning, all from a computer background. A pig farm with an annual output of 17,000 pigs requires only 6 workers to operate normally.
Naturally fresh and tender Exported to more than 140 countries and regions around the world
The mainland is the largest country in pork consumption, pork is also one of the traditional cuisines of the mainland, people are increasingly pursuing delicious and healthy, Danish pork is synonymous with high quality, exported to more than 140 countries and regions, recognized by consumers all over the world, why?
The pigs are young and out of the slaughter at 6 months. The most direct feeling of Danish pork is "tender". In general, younger animals have tender meat and older animals have older meat. Due to the good variety and balanced feed of Danish pork, Danish pigs can fully exert their growth potential and can be slaughtered in 6 months, which can be said to be veritable small fresh meat. It takes about 9 months for mainland local pigs to be slaughtered.
The average intermuscular fat content is about 1.5%. Intermuscular fat is the key to pork tenderness, just like we often say "snowflake fat cattle", the white "snowflake" inside is fat, intermuscular fat content affects the taste of pork, relevant tests show that about 2% of the intermuscular fat content of pork is the best state. Danish pork has been carefully bred for many years, and its lean meat rate is about 60%, which belongs to lean pigs. At the same time, the intermuscular fat content of tenderloin and similar cuts averages about 1.5%, which is tender, juicy and fragrant, making it ideal for processing and retailing.
From a scientific point of view, the tenderness of pork depends not only on the content of intermuscular fat, the age of the animal, but also the handling and processing of pigs before and after slaughter, which is a comprehensive reflection of the level of the entire production chain.
Hog animal welfare. The living environment of the pig also affects the tenderness of the meat. Environmental improvements are constantly taking place in Denmark, for example, Danish pig farms are equipped with shower systems to cool pigs, and pigs are prepared with arch play "toys" made of natural materials; From January 2013, all pregnant sows will live in free-range pens and cannot be kept alone in fixed pens; The transport process is as comfortable as possible, and the mortality rate of Danish pigs during transportation is only 0.009% (2011), which is the lowest level in the world.
Dispose properly after slaughter. After the pig is slaughtered, the muscles will gradually contract and harden, and only by leaving it for a period of time can the protein that causes the meat to harden slowly degrade and regain softness. Danish pork is generally left at a low temperature environment of no more than 5 ° C for 3 days, so that the stiffness can be fully relieved and the taste is better.
For pig farmers, making pork naturally tender is not a simple task, and Denmark has worked hard for many years, from breeding to feeding to processing. Danish pork is not only of good quality, but also has excellent stability, with all cuts of consistent size, consistent quality and long shelf life. Danish pigs are less stressed before transport and slaughter, which is also one of the reasons why Danish pork is tender and delicious.
Pork high quality quality assurance system
The Danish pig industry is one of Denmark's important agricultural industries, accounting for nearly 30% of Denmark's total agricultural output. The reason why Danish pork is sold to more than 140 countries and regions around the world is also trusted by the perfect quality assurance system and strict food safety management. Through unremitting efforts, we create a consistent quality of confidence.
Establish a quality and safety assurance system. On the basis of Danish and EU regulations, Danish pork has established a quality system known as Quality and Safety Guarantee (QSG). The Danish pig industry not only complies with the EU Specific Hygiene Regulation (853/2004/EC), the Food Hygiene Regulation (852/2004/EC) and the Residue Monitoring Regulation (96/23/EEC) for foods of animal origin, but also voluntarily sets higher standards and creates many unique processes.
4x the detection volume: food safety is the cornerstone of Danish pork. The slaughterhouse is responsible for carrying out a comprehensive testing program for residues in fresh meat. And all slaughterhouses must be certified to the Global Red Meat Standard (GRMS). Together with government surveillance, the Danish pig industry tests around 18,000 random samples per year, nearly four times the level required by EU regulations. With such intense monitoring, no hormone residues have been found in Danish pork, and pesticide levels have been below the permissible limit.
0.05% antibiotic residue: To eliminate the use of unnecessary antibiotics, Denmark is the only country in the world to record the use of veterinary drugs in each herd. Pharmacies, veterinarians and feed mills are required to provide information on prescription drug use to the Vetstat Database. Danish regulatory authorities not only strictly prohibit the use of growth hormones such as growth hormones and hormones in pig feed. Since 1991, the detection rate of antibiotic residues has never exceeded 0.05%. In fact, of the more than 10,000 samples tested each year, only 1-2 are usually positive.
Inspection and certification every 3 years: In Denmark, the strictest quarantine standards in the world are applied, both in the breeding and slaughtering processes. Every three years, all herds are certified by an independent certification body to ensure that the pigs meet all standards in terms of welfare, traceability and food safety. Other specific matters need to be reviewed annually. At slaughterhouses, all pigs must undergo strict inspection by a professional veterinarian veterinarian audited and hired by the government before they can be slaughtered.
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30%. In the process of long-term development of the pig industry, Denmark has been striving to reduce the pollution caused by the pig industry. The main greenhouse gas emissions from farming come from feed consumption. The Danish pig industry has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by improving feeding systems and ingredient ratios to improve feeding efficiency; At the same time, the Danish regulatory authorities strictly prohibit the use of growth hormones such as catalysts and hormones in pig feed, and also require manufacturers to use scientific and technological achievements to enhance the digestion and absorption of nitrogen and phosphorus in feed by pigs, and greatly reduce the pollutants such as nitrogen and phosphorus emitted by pigs through feces. Currently, the maximum allowable nitrogen emissions per hectare of land in the EU for pig farms are 170 kg, while Denmark is even stricter, at 140 kg; In addition, Danish law requires manure to be returned to the field at a specified time period to achieve harmonious and sustainable development of the land. With the help of renewable energy and energy saving measures, Danish slaughterhouses have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 30% over the past 20 years.
The pig mortality rate is only 0.006%. Denmark's pig mortality rate on the road is only 0.006%, which is the lowest in the world. Animals must be transported by car, drivers must have special knowledge, and all cars are equipped with GPS systems.
More granularly, if "organic pigs" are marketed and labeled "organic," the government also requires them to be slaughtered and free-range between April and November each year. Every year on a weekend in April, pigs, cows, chickens and other animals across the country begin to "release the wind" on this day, and this day is also designated as the national "organic day", and people can bring their families to the farm to enjoy the "grand event".
Modern Danish cooperatives The "secret" to a booming pig industry
The reason why Denmark has such high production efficiency should be attributed to its association system and mechanism of the entire pig industry chain. On the one hand, Denmark uses industrial, scientific and technological means to improve the output and quality of pig farming, and on the other hand, uses the cooperative model to improve the economic benefits of the pig industry through commercial means, and promotes the industry to continue to develop towards a virtuous circle.
There are several major trade associations in the Kingdom of Denmark, namely the Pig Farmers' Association, the Breeding Association (DanBred) and the Pig Slaughtering Industry Association. The members of each industry chain belong to the industry association to which they belong, and the operating capital of all associations is a certain percentage of each pig sold or slaughtered by each association member, and the association uses this fund as market operation and research and development funds.
In 1887, Denmark's first pig cooperative was founded in Horsens, Jutland, with farmers owning the slaughterhouses that received their pigs, and the cooperative remains a model for the Danish pig industry to this day.
Today, Danish cooperatives have developed into large enterprises, through which farmers participate directly in large markets and thus receive maximum remuneration. The Danish population even claims that there would be no modern Danish agriculture without cooperatives. As Professor Tie Ding, director of the Agricultural Research Center of Yuanyi Think Tank and editor-in-chief of the Agricultural Staff, explained in the model of building brand hoarding, agricultural brand building should be carried out around one subject, that is, the new agricultural management subject.
Breeding pig breeding is related to the country's "meat basket"
Huge pork production is inseparable from high-quality pig breeds. In order to ensure the quality of pigs, the Danish pig industry attaches great importance to the cultivation of breeding pigs, and after a hundred years of continuous improvement of pig breeding experience and biotechnology screening and breeding capabilities based on data and DNA coding. Pig breeding is known as the "chip" of the pig industry, and its importance in the pig industry can be seen.
Close cooperation with research institutions. For the benefit of all farmers, the Danish pig industry brings together research projects and works closely with research institutes to publish the results across the industry. Aarhus University's Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, a leading global research institution, has made outstanding contributions to pig genome sequencing, helping Denmark become the first country to use DNA technology for pig breeding, greatly improving the efficiency of selecting excellent breeds. The National Institute of Food Research at the Technical University of Denmark carries out investigative duties and provides scientific advice and risk assessment services to the Danish veterinary and food authorities. The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the Technical University of Denmark provides education and advice on livestock diseases. The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Copenhagen is the top veterinary school in Europe, with two state-of-the-art veterinary teaching hospitals and the only veterinary training institution in Denmark.
Fish personnel study and training. In Denmark, becoming a pig farmer goes through 3 years and 8 months of training. Even if you just want to be an ordinary pig farm employee, you have to study for 2 years before you can start working. Even after graduation, farmers still need to know the latest research information to keep themselves ahead of the curve.
Breeding of high-quality pig chips. Through the establishment of 26 core pig farms and 65 expansion farms, a large number of great-grandparent and grandparent breeding pigs are raised and preserved, and the Danish breeding pig cross-cross-breeding is realized and the parent generation breeding pig is continuously optimized. 90%-95% of Danish breeding pigs are bred by artificial insemination. Genetic lineage monitoring between populations to prevent inbreeding. At the same time, Danish breeding experts regularly visit breeding farms to measure and genetically evaluate the most desired breeding pigs, including daily weight gain, feed-to-meat ratio, lean meat rate, litter size, body size, meat pH, slaughter loss rate, etc.
DanBred pigs are known for their high reproductive performance, and the company was the first to adopt genomic selection technology to continuously improve the performance of breeding pigs, while accurately serving the different needs of customers through big data. Since 2013, an average of 30 piglets per sow per year has been produced, with a maximum of 40 piglets per year, the highest level of any EU country. DanBred's breeding program has brought great economic benefits to pig farmers for decades, and has increased the average annual profit per pig by 1.81 euros in the past three years.
Today, Denmark mainly breeds Great White, Changbai, Duroc and Landries, all of which are recognized as excellent varieties in the industry. Among them, the "long white pig" is also one of the three major foreign pig breeds in the world. The world-famous "Landries" lean pig is a new pig breed bred by Denmark after many trials since 1896, it has one more vertebrae and two ribs than ordinary pigs, long waist, thin backfat, lean meat, fast growth and development, and can grow to more than 90 kg in five months. Pork accounts for 40% of the livestock production value.
Although China is the world's largest producer of pork, breeding pig supply is very dependent on imports, with Denmark being one of China's main suppliers. According to data, as of 2020, China has imported 4,244 Danish breeding pigs, accounting for 40% of China's imported breeding pigs. For example, Duroc, Changbai and Big White pig ternary hybrid breeds, pigs grow fast, fattening cycle is short, breeding cycle is generally 150-180 days, which is conducive to stabilizing the mainland pork market supply stability. Denmark, on the other hand, breeds breeding pigs and holds the meat basket firmly in its own hands.
Step inside Danish crown pork
Founded in 1887, Danish Crown Group is the world's second largest (Europe's first) pig slaughtering enterprise, with an annual pig slaughter volume of about 16 million, accounting for 80% of Danish pig slaughter, and the world's largest pork export. At the same time, the Danish Crown Group is also the largest meat producer in Europe and the second largest meat exporter in the world, with annual sales of 6.1 billion euros.
For more than 130 years, Danish Crown Pork has only done one thing, that is, to explore the complete industrial chain from breeding, slaughtering, meat processing to sales. Here, it is required that the breeding personnel must have a professional degree, not only to learn professional pig breeding knowledge but also to learn management and philosophy, in the crown do not need to feed pigs, no cleaning, they through mechanization, intelligence to make pig raising easy; For the health of the pigs, they will give the pigs underground mineral water, before the pigs are slaughtered, let the pigs enjoy music, bathe and rest for two hours, and then send them to the carbon dioxide room to fall into a coma within 2~3 minutes, and finally end the pig life painlessly. Therefore, in the crown, a high degree of mechanization and intelligence makes raising pigs very easy.
Danish crown pork is also popular for its high-quality pork without adding clenbuterol, adding growth hormone, and not using antibiotics to prevent diseases, and is sold to 136 countries and regions around the world.
As a country with a highly developed economy, Denmark attaches great importance to environmental protection and sustainable development. Danish Crown believes that sustainability is not only about the future health of people, the future of the working environment and the future value of the company. More importantly, sustainability means being responsible for the global climate and for our next generation. Not only are they committed to producing the world's most sustainable meat products, but they also aim to halve the Group's greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and become fully climate-neutral by 2050. Therefore, although Denmark is a big pig farming country, Denmark is still a kingdom full of exotic and beautiful natural scenery.
Tie Ding, director of the Agricultural Research Center of Yuanyi Think Tank and editor-in-chief of the Agricultural Staff, believes that the foundation of agricultural product brands is quality, and only high-quality products can be accommodated by the market. Danish pork stabilizes the intrinsic quality of pork by standardizing the supporting production technical standards and management standards before, during and after production under the norms of local governments, joint societies and laws. And guide farmers to learn the professional knowledge and concept of pig breeding, guide farmers to organize production management in accordance with standards and norms, enhance farmers' awareness of pork breeding brand protection, and form a benign mechanism of self-development, self-restraint and self-accumulation. And closely integrated with the market, the corporate brand and the quality of the product in the place of origin are closely linked, and a strong brand vitality of Danish pork is created and formed.
Resources:
[1] Eight fresh crossings: Danish pork: 7 pictures to tell you our development trend in the past 12 years!
[2] Reference: Why this small Nordic country has become one of the world's largest pork exporters
[3] China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Foodstuffs and Native Animals: The Chinese market has driven Danish pork exports to a new record
[4] Frontier technology in the military industry: The world's largest pig enterprise Danish Crown entered China
[5] Golden Ten New Media: 3 people raise 10,000 pigs and master pig "chips"! Why is Denmark the "Pork Kingdom"?
[6] Greater Wuhan Food Ranking: Exported to more than 140 countries, why is Danish pork in love all over the world?