Ohio hog inventory up from March ’06

REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio – Ohio hog producers had 1.70 million hogs on hand March 1, up 1 percent from last quarter and up 10 percent from a year ago.
The number of market hogs, at 1,535,000 head, was up 2 percent from last quarter and up 11 percent from last year.
Breeding stock, at 165,000 head, was down 3 percent from last quarter but up 3 percent from last year.
The pig crop during the December-February 2007 quarter numbered 759,000 head, 8 percent above last year but 1 percent below last quarter.
Reproduction. The number of sows farrowed during the December-February 2007 quarter, at 83,000, was 6,000 head above last year and unchanged from last quarter. Pigs saved per litter averaged 9.15, down 1 percent for the same period last quarter, but up 1 percent from last year.
Ohio producers intend to farrow 81,000 sows during the March-May 2007 quarter; 1,000 head below a year earlier. Farrowing intentions for the summer quarter, June-August 2007, is 82,000 sows, 2,000 head below the same quarter of 2006.
U.S. inventory of all hogs and pigs March 1 was 61.1 million head. This was up 1 percent from March 1, 2006, but down 2 percent from Dec. 1, 2006.
Breeding inventory, at 6.08 million head, was up 1 percent from last year, but down slightly from the previous quarter.
Market numbers. Market hog inventory, at 55.0 million head, was up 1 percent from last year, but down 2 percent from last quarter.