Animal feed

Two pigs would eat the entire harvest of your field!

We don’t know the names of these two animals, but they are among the 52 million pigs in Germany, 240 million in the EU, and 1.5 billion worldwide that are slaughtered every year. Around nine square metres of arable land are required to produce the concentrated feed (grain, maize, and soy) needed for each kilogram of pork.

Our 2000 m² of land can provide just enough feed to fatten two pigs, if slaughtered at the usual weight of around 115 kilograms. However, this amount of pork is not even enough to meet the consumption of six EU citizens, who eat around 40 kg each per year. This illustrates why many people struggle to sustain themselves on 2000 m² of land. During their short lives, our two pigs may be treated with antibiotics up to five times. According to the EU Animal Welfare Directive, up to 2000 adult pigs could be kept on this same land: one pig per square metre.

Meat consumption continues to rise globally. Over the past 50 years, it has more than tripled, growing from 110 million tonnes to 350 million tonnes. However, per capita consumption varies significantly across regions. In India, for example, meat consumption has remained relatively unchanged over time.