Pork Production Grows Despite $4 Corn
02 July 2007US - Despite all the complaining that U’S pork producers have done about the high price of corn, the latest numbers from USDA show continued modest expansion in the industry. U.S. inventory of all hogs and pigs on June 1, 2007 was 62.8 million head.
This was up 2 percent from both June 1, 2006 and March 1, 2007. The breeding inventory, at 6.12 million head, was up 1 percent from last year, and 2 percent from the previous quarter. Market hog inventory, at 56.6 million head, was up 2 percent from both last year and last quarter.
The March-May 2007 pig crop, at 27.1 million head, was up 2 percent from 2006 and up 4 percent from 2005. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 2.97 million head, up 1 percent from 2006 and up 3 percent 2005. The sows farrowed during this quarter represented 49 percent of the breeding herd. The average pigs saved per litter was 9.15 for the March-May 2007 period, compared to 9.08 last year. Pigs saved per litter by size of operation ranged from 7.60 for operations with 1-99 hogs and pigs to 9.20 for operations with more than 5,000 hogs and pigs.
Source: Hoosier Ag Today
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