5,340 individuals worked in the Poultry, Pigs and Other Livestock Farming industry group across 2021, with 25% of these being either self-employed or employers. 60% worked in Poultry, with an almost even split between Egg production and Poultry Meat production, 29% worked in Other Livestock Farming, and 11% in Pig Farming. The number of workers has remained relatively stable since 2015. However, there was an increase in monthly employee counts for Poultry Meat Farming, and a decrease for Pig Farming and Poultry Egg Farming.
Ethnic diversity within the workforce has increased over time, with a slightly higher representation of Māori, Asian, and Pacific peoples. The workforce, with almost half aged 45 and over, is somewhat older than other Muka Tangata industries. Demographic characteristics vary among specific industries within Poultry, Pigs and Other Livestock Farming group. The Poultry workforce tends to be more ethnically diverse and younger compared to Pig Farming and Other Livestock Farming, while Pig Farming has fewer female workers. Employee numbers in Other Livestock Farming follow a seasonal pattern, peaking from October to December. However, both Pig Farming and Poultry Egg Farming have seen a decline in monthly employee counts since mid-2021. In contrast, Poultry Meat Farming has shown an increase in employee numbers during the same period.