December 30, 2004

Hog Inventory In US Rose Slightly From 2003

The inventory of all hogs and pigs in the US registered 60.5 million head on December 1, 2004. This figure was up slightly from December 1, 2003, but down 1 percent from September 1, 2004. Breeding inventory, at 5.97 million head, fell 1 percent from December 1, 2003, but up slightly from last quarter. Market hog inventory, at 54.5 million head, was rose slightly from last year, but 2 percent below last quarter.

The September-November 2004 US pig crop, at 25.6 million head, was up slightly from 2003 and up 2 percent from 2002. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 2.85 million head, down slightly from last year. The sows farrowed during this quarter represented 48 percent of the breeding herd. The average pigs saved per litter was 8.96 for the September-November period, compared to 8.93 last year. Pigs saved per litter by size of operation ranged from 7.50 for operations with 1-99 hogs to 9.10 for operations with more than 5,000 hogs and pigs.