July 2, 2024

 

More than 70 million hogs, pigs in US as of June 1

 

 

There were 74.5 million hogs and pigs across US swine production systems as of June 1.

 

According to the latest Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report by the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service, the Q2 inventory came in 1% above last year's supply and just a trace above last quarter's report.

 

From that total, 6.01 million were kept for breeding, a 3% reduction from the year prior and a slight decrease from the previous quarter.

 

Market hog inventory totaled 68.5 million head, up 2% from 2023, but just a marginal increase from Q1.

 

For the under-50-pounds weight category, there were 21.589 million head, up 1% from the year prior. In the 50-to-119 pounds group, there were 19.208 million head, a 1% increase from 2023.

 

In the 120-to-179-pounds group, there were 14.630 million head, a 2% rise from last year at this time. For the 180-and-over group, there were 13.052 million head, also up 2% from 2023.

 

Between March and May 2024, 34 million pigs were weaned on US farms, up 2% from the same period last year. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 2.94 million head, a slight increase from 2023. The sows farrowed during Q2 represented 49% of the breeding herd.

 

The average pigs saved per litter was 11.56 for the March-May period, compared to 11.36 last year.

 

US hog producers intend to have 2.96 million sows farrow between June and August 2024, a 3% decrease from actual farrowings during the same period last year and a 4% drop from the same period two years prior.

 

For September through November, intended farrowings are 2.94 million sows, down just 1% from the same period in 2023, but a 5% drop from 2022.

 

Iowa hog producers accounted for the largest inventory among the US states, at 24.6 million head. Minnesota had the second largest inventory at 9.20 million head. North Carolina was third with 7.60 million head.

 

The total number of hogs under contract owned by operations with over 5,000 head, but raised by contractees, accounted for 52% of the total US hog inventory, up 1% from the previous year.

 

- National Hog Farmer