From USDA
Quarterly Hogs and Pigs
ISSN: 1949-1921
Released March 30, 2012, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service
(NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA).
United States Hog Inventory up 2 Percent
United States inventory of all hogs and pigs on March 1, 2012 was
64.9 million head. This was up 2 percent from
March 1, 2011, but down 2 percent from December 1, 2011.
Breeding inventory, at 5.82 million head, was up 1 percent from last year,
and up slightly from the previous quarter. Market hog inventory, at
59.1 million head, was up 2 percent from last year, but down 2 percent from
last quarter.
The December 2011-February 2012 pig crop, at 28.7 million head, was up 3
percent from 2011. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 2.88 million
head, up 1 percent from 2011. The sows farrowed during this quarter
represented 50 percent of the breeding herd. The average pigs saved per
litter was a record high 9.97 for the December-February period, compared to
9.80 last year. Pigs saved per litter by size of operation ranged from 7.30
for operations with 1-99 hogs and pigs to 10.00 for operations with more than
5,000 hogs and pigs.
United States hog producers intend to have 2.89 million sows farrow during
the March-May 2012 quarter, down 1 percent from the actual farrowings during
the same period in 2011, and down 1 percent from 2010. Intended farrowings
for June-August 2012, at 2.88 million sows, are down 2 percent from 2011, and
down 2 percent from 2010.
The total number of hogs under contract owned by operations with over 5,000
head, but raised by contractees, accounted for 47 percent of the total United
States hog inventory, up from 46 percent last year.
Revisions
All inventory and pig crop estimates for March 2011 through December 2011
were reviewed using final pig crop, official slaughter, death loss, and
updated import and export data. Based on the findings of this review, an
adjustment of less than one percent was made to the September 2011 total
inventory. An adjustment of less than one percent was made to the December
2011 total inventory. An adjustment of less than one percent was made to the
June-August 2011 pig crop.
This report was approved on March 30, 2012.
Acting Secretary of
Agriculture
Joseph W. Glauber
Agricultural Statistics Board
Chairperson
Hubert Hamer