US Pork Outlook Report - September 2004
By U.S.D.A., Economic Research Service - This article is an extract from the September 2004: Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook Report, highlighting Global Pork Industry data. The report indicates that hog prices in August weakened seasonally as slaughter numbers reached the 2-millionhead-per-week level during the week of August 21st.
Last year, weekly hog slaughter did not reach the 2 million head level until the week ending October 4. Continued strong domestic and foreign pork demand, however, is expected to hold third-quarter hog prices
27 percent above the same period last year.
The Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report, to be released on September 24, will provide recent inventories, pig crops, and producers’ intentions for September 2004-February 2005.
Hog Prices Soften on Higher Slaughter
Retail Pork Price
Percent change from previous month ![]() |
The August hog price, $56.19 per cwt, was almost 4 percent lower than in July. Lower prices are the consequence of large weekly slaughters.
Weekly kills achieved the 2-million-head-per-week mark during the week of August 21st, a level not reached last year until early October.
Hog prices in the third quarter are expected to average between $54 and $55 per cwt, around 27 percent higher than the same period last year.
Third-quarter pork production will likely run about 3-percent higher than last year.
Weekly Hog Slaughter
Percent change from last year ![]() |
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For more information view the full Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook - September 2004 (pdf)Source: Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook - U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service - September 2004