U.S. Hog Inventory Up Two Percent

As of December 1 this year, U.S. farms were home to 73.2 million hogs and pigs, two percent higher than the same time in 2016. The Quarterly Hog and Pig Report, released Friday says that number is slightly lower than September first of this year.

Of the 73.2 million hogs, 67.1 million were market hogs and 6.18 million were kept for breeding. 33.4 million pigs were weaned on U.S. farms between September and November of this year, three percent higher than a year ago at this time.

Over that same time period this year, producers weaned an average of 10.74 pigs per litter. U.S. hog producers intend to farrow over 3 million sows between December 2017 and February of next year. They’ll farrow 3.08 million sows from March through May of 2018. Iowa has the largest inventory of all the hog-producing states at 22.8 million head. North Carolina and Minnesota were second and third, respectively.

Source;  NAFB News