Seasonal Low In US Hog Weights Just A Few Weeks Away

US - History says the odds are high that the seasonal trough in U.S. hog weights will be set within the next few weeks since the low is most often set in late July through the first two weeks of August.
calendar icon 19 July 2006
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The mid-summer heat negatively affects feed consumption and weight gains in hogs, resulting in lighter carcass weights at this time of the year.

In an effort to keep the animals cooler in the summer and more comfortable not only during the summer but year-round, the swine industry has developed better buildings and systems to deal with the outside weather conditions. However, there is no way to cost effectively control the environment within the barns to on optimum level that would maintain maximum performance year-round, according to industry sources.

Glenn Grimes, agricultural economist at the University of Missouri, said that despite the efforts of producers and others in the industry to overcome seasonal influences, they still exist. The mid-summer heat affects weight gains for pigs in the growing and finishing units as well as on breeding success for boars and sows.

Source: MarketWatch

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