U.S. Hog Inventory Down 2 Percent
09/25/2009 02:01PM
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U.S. inventory of all hogs and pigs on September 1, 2009 was 66.6 million head. This was down 2 percent from September 1, 2008 but up 1 percent from June 1, 2009.
Breeding inventory, at 5.87 million head, was down 3 percent from last year and down 2 percent from the previous quarter. Market hog inventory, at 60.8 million head, was down 2 percent from last year but up 1 percent from last quarter.
The June-August 2009 pig crop, at 28.8 million head, was down 2 percent from 2008 and down 1 percent from 2007. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 2.97 million head, down 4 percent from 2008 and down 5 percent from 2007. The sows farrowed during this quarter represented 50 percent of the breeding herd. The average pigs saved per litter was a record high 9.70 for the June-August 2009 period, compared to 9.51 last year. Pigs saved per litter by size of operation ranged from 7.40 for operations with 1-99 hogs and pigs to 9.80 for operations with more than 5,000 hogs and pigs.
U.S. hog producers intend to have 2.94 million sows farrow during the September-November 2009 quarter, down 3 percent from the actual farrowings during the same period in 2008, and down 8 percent from 2007. Intended farrowings for December 2009-February 2010, at 2.93 million sows, are down 3 percent from 2009 and down 5 percent from 2008.
The total number of hogs under contract owned by operations with over 5,000 head, but raised by contractees, accounted for 46 percent of the total U.S. hog inventory, up from 43 percent last year.
Revisions
All inventory and pig crop estimates for September 2008 through June 2009 were reviewed using slaughter, death loss and current import and export data. Based on this review, adjustments of less than one percent were made to the March 2009 and June 2009 total inventory. An adjustment of less than two percent was made to the December 2008-February 2009 pig crop.
Special Note
The market hogs and pigs weight groups will be changing beginning with the December 2009 Quarterly Hogs and Pigs release. The market weight group under 60 pounds will be changed to under 50 pounds, and the market weight group 60-119 pounds will be changed to 50-119 pounds. The 120-179 pounds and 180 pounds and over weight groups will remain the same. These changes align NASS market hogs and pigs weight groups more closely with international trade data. Statistics Canada is making similar changes to the Canadian market hogs and pigs categories. This will allow for a more uniform analysis of the U.S. and Canadian hog inventories.