According to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the U.S. hog inventory dropped four percent. As of December 1st, 74.2 million hogs and pigs were found on U.S. farms, which is down 4% from December 2020 and down 1% from the September Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report.
Of the 74.2 million hogs and pigs, 68.0 million were market hogs, while 6.18 million were kept for breeding.
USDA livestock analyst, Shayle Shagam notes the nation’s hog producers are being very cautious about making moves that would alter production very much.
U.S. hog producers intend to have 2.94 million sows farrow between December 2021 and February 2022, and 3.01 million sows farrow between March and May 2022.
NASS surveyed roughly 6,300 operators across the nation during the first half of December.
More numbers from the Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report are available at nass.usda.gov.
Excerpt from the report:
Other key findings in the report were:
- Of the 74.2 million hogs and pigs, 68.0 million were market hogs, while 6.18 million were kept for breeding.
- Between September and November 2021, 33.7 million pigs were weaned on U.S. farms, down 4% from the same time period one year earlier.
- From September through November 2021, U.S. hog and pig producers weaned an average of 11.19 pigs per litter.
- U.S. hog producers intend to have 2.94 million sows farrow between December 2021 and February 2022, and 3.01 million sows farrow between March and May 2022.
- Iowa hog producers accounted for the largest inventory among the states, at 23.8 million head. Minnesota had the second largest inventory at 8.90 million head. North Carolina was third with 8.00 million head.
To obtain an accurate measurement of the U.S. swine industry, NASS surveyed roughly …..
Read the full United States hog inventory report here.