Danish pigs have a good reputation on the international scene; Denmark produces four pigs to every Dane, so the country has to export 90 per cent of what it produces.

Danish research into how to increase litter sizes in sows has made excellent advances over the past 15 years.

The research shows from 1992 to 2008, the number of total piglets born rose from 11.5 to nearly 16 per litter in the study.

Piglets that were alive at day five were included in the total born measurements from 1998.

From that period to 2008, the amount of total piglets born alive per litter has risen by three to 14 in 2008.

Arguably the most important statistic, the number of piglets weaned, has also strengthened to follow the other patterns closely.

Dr Thorup expects the growth in the number of pigs weaned to continue.

"It's only been rising well like this for three years now, but I think this line will continue to rise," Mr Thorup said.

"Percentage wise we have stabilised at about 11pc to 12pc still-born, which is too high, but we are working on a project that can see that amount come down to 10pc."

The study found even in smaller litters of seven to eight, that 86pc of the piglets would be weaned.

When the number of piglets more than doubles to 14, that chance goes down only marginally to 80pc, while at the 20 piglet mark, 70pc are expected to be weaned off.

Dr Thorup said the disadvantages of breeding towards a high litter are more still-born piglets, lower birth weights, higher piglet mortality, more work and lower weaning weights.

"But at the end of the day you will have more piglets to sell from the same number of sows, so I say you should still go for it," Dr Thorup said.

Dr Thorup said high feed intake in the last week of lactation is crucial in increasing the litter size in sows."