U.S. and Canadian hog inventory up 1 percent

The USDA's U.S. and Canadian Hogs report, released Feb. 21, showed that United States and Canadian inventory of all hogs and pigs for December 2011 was 78.0 million head. This was up 1 percent from December 2010, and up 2 percent from December 2009.

The breeding inventory, at 7.11 million head, was up slightly from last year and up slightly from last quarter. Market hog inventory, at 70.8 million head, was up 2 percent from last year but down 1 percent from last quarter. The pig crop, at 36.4 million head, was up 2 percent from 2010 and up 3 percent from 2009. Sows farrowed during this period totaled 3.61 million head, up 1 percent from last year but down 1 percent from 2009.

U.S. Hogs & Pigs Inventory
United States inventory of all hogs and pigs on December 1, 2011 was 65.9 million head. This was up 2 percent from December 1, 2010, but down 1 percent from September 1, 2011.

The breeding inventory, at 5.80 million head, was up slightly from last year but down slightly from last quarter. Market hog inventory, at 60.1 million head, was up 2 percent from last year, but down 1 percent from last quarter. The pig crop, at 29.0 million head, was up 2 percent from 2010 and up 3 percent from 2009.

Sows farrowed during this period totaled 2.89 million head, up slightly from 2010 but down 1 percent from 2009.

Canadian Hogs & Pigs Inventory
Canadian inventory of all hogs and pigs on January 1, 2012 was 12.0 million head. This was up 1 percent from January 1, 2011 and up 2 percent from January 1, 2010. The breeding inventory, at 1.31 million head, was unchanged from last year and up slightly from last quarter.

Market hog inventory, at 10.7 million head, was up 1 percent from last year and up slightly from last quarter. The pig crop, at 7.4 million head, was up 4 percent from 2011 and up 3 percent from 2010. Sows farrowed during this period totaled 720,000 head, up 1 percent from 2011 but down 1 percent from 2010.