Iowa Ag Connection - State Hog Inventories Up 2 Percent from Previous Quarter

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State Hog Inventories Up 2 Percent from Previous Quarter
Iowa Ag Connection - 06/27/2016

On June 1, 2016, there were 20.6 million hogs and pigs on Iowa farms, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service -- Hogs and Pigs report. The June 1 inventory was up 2 percent from the previous quarter but down 2 percent from the previous year.

The March-May quarterly pig crop was 5.29 million head, up 1 percent from both the previous quarter and last year. A total of 485,000 sows farrowed during this quarter. The average pigs saved per litter was 10.9 for the March-May quarter, the second highest pigs per litter on record.

As of June 1, producers planned to farrow 500,000 sows and gilts in the June-August quarter and 495,000 head during the September-November quarter.

United States inventory of all hogs and pigs on June 1, 2016 was 68.4 million head. This was up 2 percent from June 1, 2015, and up 1 percent from March 1, 2016. This is the highest June 1 inventory of all hogs and pigs since estimates began in 1964.

Breeding inventory, at 5.98 million head, was up 1 percent from last year, but down slightly from the previous quarter.

Market hog inventory, at 62.4 million head, was up 2 percent from last year, and up 1 percent from last quarter. This is the highest June 1 market hog inventory since estimates began in 1964.

The March-May 2016 pig crop, at 30.3 million head, was up 3 percent from 2015. This is the largest March-May pig crop since 1971. Sows farrowed during this period totaled 2.90 million head, up 1 percent from 2015. The sows farrowed during this quarter represented 48 percent of the breeding herd. The average pigs saved per litter was a record high 10.48 for the March-May period, compared to 10.37 last year. Pigs saved per litter by size of operation ranged from 8.10 for operations with 1-99 hogs and pigs to 10.50 for operations with more than 5,000 hogs and pigs.

United States hog producers intend to have 2.95 million sows farrow during the June-August 2016 quarter, down 2 percent from the actual farrowings during the same period in 2015, and down 1 percent from 2014. Intended farrowings for September-November 2016, at 2.90 million sows, are down 1 percent from 2015, and down 3 percent from 2014.

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.

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