Pig and poultry rights

The table contains figures on pig and poultry rights (animal rights). Animal rights are production rights designed to limit the production of animal manure. A farmer shall not keep more pigs, chickens and turkeys than the production right on the holding. Pig and poultry rights shall be expressed in units. The number of units varies by animal category. No production right is required for keeping pigs if there are no more animals present than that corresponding to 3 pig units. No production right is required for the keeping of chickens and turkeys if there are no more animals present than 250 poultry units. The table also shows the numbers of animals and phosphate production of those animal categories to which animal rights apply. A direct comparison of animal rights and numbers of animals is not possible. This is because the production duty, expressed in units, differs between the different categories of pigs and poultry. In addition, the different categories of pigs and poultry are defined differently in the Fertiliser Act and in the agricultural census. Animal rights have gradually replaced manure production rights. The exemption from production duties is not included in the figures. This table refers only to absolute animal rights of the farmer himself, and no account is taken of the transfer of animal rights to other farmers. Data available from: 1998 Status of the figures: All figures are final. Figures on animal rights come from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). The RVO file is a so-called dynamic file. This means that changes (e.g. due to lawsuits on assigned rights) are processed retroactively. Changes as of 10 November 2021: Preliminary figures for 2019 have been replaced by final figures. Final figures for 2020 have been added. When are new figures coming? Preliminary figures for 2021 appear in the second quarter of 2022.