WASHINGTON — As of June 1, there were 73.5 million hogs and pigs on U.S. farms, up 3 percent from June 2017, and up 1 percent from March 1, 2018, according to the Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report published June 28 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).
Other key findings in the report were:
- Of the 73.5 million hogs and pigs, 67.1 million were market hogs, while 6.32 million were kept for breeding.
- Between March and May 2018, 33.2 million pigs were weaned on U.S. farms, up 4 percent from the same time period one year earlier.
- From March through May 2018, U.S. hog and pig producers weaned an average of 10.63 pigs per litter.
- U.S. hog producers intend to have 3.17 million sows farrow between June and August 2018, and 3.18 million sows farrow between September and November 2018.
- Iowa hog producers accounted for the largest inventory among the states, at 22.7 million head.
- North Carolina and Minnesota had the second and third largest inventories with 8.90 million and 8.60 million head, respectively.
Ohio hog inventory stood at 2.9 million, up from 2.7 million in 2017. Pennsylvania’s hog inventory was 1.31 million, up from 1.19 million a year ago.
To obtain an accurate measurement of the U.S. swine industry, NASS surveyed over 6,500 operators across the nation during the first half of June.
