U.S. hog contraction still ahead

Oct 11, 2023

The USDA Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report was released by the National Agricultural Statistics Service on September 28, 2023. Overall, estimates were higher than expected for all categories, except for farrowings. Inventory of all U.S. hogs and pigs on September 1, 2023 was estimated at 74.3 million head, up 0.3% or 194,000 head from September 1, 2022, and up 2% from June 1, 2022.

"The driver behind the higher inventories is productivity," explains Ann Boyda, provincial livestock market analyst with the Alberta government. "Pigs per litter were an average of 11.61 which is up from 11.13 for September 1, 2022. The higher pigs per litter offset the decline in breeding stock.

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Video: What It Takes to Stop African Swine Fever - Dr. Jishu Shi

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, Dr. Jishu Shi, Professor of Vaccine Immunology at Kansas State University, discusses African swine fever prevention and vaccine development. He explains why ASF differs from classical swine fever and swine influenza, how the disease threatens trade and pork production, why immunization safety remains a critical hurdle, and what producers can do now to reduce the risk of introduction. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Before a safe and efficacious vaccine for ASF can be commercialized, what we really have is prevention."

Meet the guest: Dr. Jishu Shi is Professor of Vaccine Immunology and the Dr. Wayne & Hilda Appleton Endowed Professor at Kansas State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. He directs the Center on Biologics Development and Evaluation and the U.S.-China Center for Animal Health. A veterinarian and vaccine immunologist, Dr. Shi has focused on vaccines for pigs and has worked on African swine fever vaccine development, control, diagnostics, and international training since 2018. Learn more from Dr. Jishu Shi on The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, available on all major platforms.