Agricultural News
US Hog Numbers at Their Lowest Level Since 2007- Oklahoma Falls Below Two Million Hogs in Total
Mon, 30 Jun 2014 05:45:41 CDT
The US Department of Agriculture released the latest Quarterly Hog and Pigs inventory on this past Friday afternoon- and the numbers reflected the struggles pork producers have had in dealing with the swine disease that has killed an estimated eight million baby pigs over the last year, PEDv.
United States inventory of all hogs and pigs on June 1, 2014 was 62.1 million
head. This was down 5 percent from June 1, 2013, and down 1 percent from
March 1, 2014. That inventory number is the smallest since 2007.
Breeding inventory, at 5.85 million head, was down slightly from last year,
but up slightly from the previous quarter.
Market hog inventory, at 56.3 million head, was down 5 percent from last
year, and down 1 percent from last quarter.
The March-May 2014 pig crop, at 27.4 million head, was down 5 percent from
2013. Sows farrowed during this period totaled 2.80 million head, down
slightly from 2013. The sows farrowed during this quarter represented 48
percent of the breeding herd. The average pigs saved per litter was 9.78 for
the March-May period, compared to 10.31 last year. Pigs saved per litter by
size of operation ranged from 7.80 for operations with 1-99 hogs and pigs to
9.80 for operations with more than 5,000 hogs and pigs.
For the complete USDA report as released on Friday, June 27th, click here.
Oklahoma is now the ninth largest hog state in the US, as the state's pork producers have felt the effects of PEDv in the number of market hogs that were a part of the inventory of hogs in the state as of June first. The market hog total in the state is down 19% from June first, 2013 at 1.53 million head, 350,000 fewer market hogs than last year. Sows kept for breeding are actually higher in the state by five percent from last year at 430,000- but overall the hog numbers have slipped below two million head for the first time since 1998, when hog production in the state was still ramping up.
After the report, Dr. Chris Hurt of Purdue University discussed the report with reporters in a teleconference sponsored by the National Pork Board. Click on the LISTEN BAR below to hear his analysis and more in a special report from Radio Oklahoma Network Farm Director Ron Hays.
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