The U.S. inventory of hogs and pigs totaled 74.3 million head as of March 1st, according to the latest quarterly report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released yesterday. While this number marks a slight increase from the same time last year, it falls below both the previous quarter’s figures and industry trade expectations.
The breeding inventory registered a 1% decline from last year, while the market hog inventory rose by 1% compared to a year ago. The total pig crop for December through February also climbed 1%, and U.S. pig producers indicated plans to farrow slightly more sows this March through May versus the same period last year.
Notably, the average number of pigs per litter reached a record high of 11.9 for the December through February period, highlighting improvements in productivity across the industry.