US pork inventory down 2 percent in June

Total inventory of US hogs and pigs as of June 1 was 66.1 million head, down 2 percent from the year-earlier number but up 1 percent from March 1, 2009.

USDA's quarterly hogs and pigs report released Friday (June 26) generally came in line with consensus expectations, although some analysts noted the information was collected June 1, before the hog markets collapsed.

The breeding herd dipped 3 percent to 5.97 million head. Market inventory, at 60.1 million head, was 2-percent lower than last year but up 1 percent from the previous quarter.

At 28.5 million head, the March-May pig crop was down a bit from 2008 but up 2 percent from 2007.

Sows farrowing in the quarter totalled 2.97 million head, down 3 percent from 2008 but up 2 percent from 2007. The sows farrowed during the quarter accounted for 50 percent of the breeding herd.

The average pigs saved per litter hit a record high, 9.61, for the March-May 2009 period, compared with 9.38 last year. Pigs saved per litter by size of operation ranged from 7.40 for operations with 1 to 99 hogs and pigs to 9.70 for operations with more than 5,000 hogs and pigs.

Hog producers intend to have 2.97 million sows farrow during the June-August 2009 quarter, down 3 percent from actual farrowings in the same period in 2008 and down 5 percent from 2007. Intended farrowings for September-November 2009 are 2.96 million sows, down 2 percent from 2008 and 7 percent from 2007.

Livestock analysts Steve Meyer and Len Steiner said the kept-for-breeding number (down 2.7 percent) and the March-May pigs saved per litter (up 2.5 percent) were "worrisome" as they indicate US producers, at least as of June 1, had not made a significant reduction in the size of the breeding herd.

The analysts also added that sow slaughter, meanwhile, increased from just less than 60,000 head per week before Memorial Day to almost 65,000 head the week of June 13.