TOPICS IN THIS REPORT

Hogs and Pigs

Milk Production

    Florida inventory of all hogs and pigs was estimated at 65,000 head on December 1, 1996, 24 percent below last year and a record low. Breeding inventory at 10,000 was 4,000 head below last year's total. Market hog inventory of 55,000 head was a 23 percent decrease from 1995.

INVENTORY: U. S. Inventory of all hogs and pigs on December 1, 1996, was 56.2 million head. This was 4 percent below December 1995 and 3 percent below the September 1, 1996, inventory. This is the lowest December inventory since 1990. Breeding inventory, at 6.66 million head is the smallest December 1 breeding herd on record. This total is down 3 percent from December 1, 1995 and down 2 percent from September 1, 1996. Market hog inventory, at 49.5 million head was 4 percent below both last year and last quarter.

1996 PIG CROP: The September-November 1996 U.S. pig crop at 23.2 million head was 1 percent less than 1995 and 6 percent less than 1994. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 2.72 million head, 3 percent below last year. Litter rate increases continue at a record level, with an average of 8.52 pigs saved per litter for the September-November period. Last year the litter rate averaged 8.34 pigs per litter. Pigs saved per litter by size of operation ranged from 7.30 for operations with 1-99 hogs to 8.80 for operations with more than 2,000 hogs and pigs.

FARROWING INTENTIONS: U.S. hog producers intend to have 2.77 million sows farrow during the December 1996-February 1997 quarter, 1 percent more than the actual farrowings during the same period last year, but 4 percent lower than 1995. Intended farrow ings for March-May 1997, at 2.89 million sows are 2 percent below 1996 and 9 percent below the 1995 period. The December-May intentions utilize 84.9 percent of the breeding herd, compared to 83.5 percent for actual farrowings last year and the 5 year average of 85.0 percent.

OPERATIONS: The number of operations with hogs totaled 157,450 during 1996, down 13 percent from last year and 24 percent below 1994. Places with 2,000 or more hogs on hand accounted for 3 percent of the operations and 51 percent of the inventory. This is the first time operations with inventories over 2,000 head have controlled over 50 percent of the total inventory. The number of operations with over 5,000 head of inventory, at 1,400, accounted for 33 percent of the total inventory. The total number of hogs under contract, owned by these with operations over 5,000 head, but raised by contractees, accounted for 21 percent of the total U.S. hog inventory.

HOGS AND PIGS: Inventory number, sows farrowing and pig crop 1995-96, United States
Item	1995	1996	1996 as % of 1995
	1,000 head		Percent
June 1 inventory
All hogs and pigs	59,560	57,200	96
Kept for breeding	7,180	6,870	96
Market	52,380	50,330	96
Market hogs and pigs     by weight groups:
Under 60 pounds	21,270	20,265	95
60-119 pounds	13,060	12,700	97
120-179 pounds	9,865	9,800	99
180 pounds and over	8,185	7,565	92
December 1 inventory
All hogs and pigs	58,264	56,171	96
Kept for breeding	6,839	6,663	97
Market	51,425	49,507	96
Market hogs and pigs     by weight groups:
Under 60 pounds	18,881	18,411	98
60-119 pounds	12,808	12,239	96
120-179 pounds	10,702	10,313	96
180 pounds and over	9,034	8,544	95
Sows farrowing:
December1/- February	2,886	2,745	95
March-May	3,170	2,964	94
December1/- May	6,056	5,709	94
June-August	2,976	2,761	93
September-November	2,815	2,717	97
June-November	5,791	5,478	95
Pig crop:
December1/- February	23,851	23,054	97
March-May	26,373	25,092	95
December1/- May	50,224	48,146	96
June-August	24,813	23,667	95
September-November	23,479	23,159	99
June-November	48,292	46,826	97
Pigs per litter:	Number
December1/- February	8 .27	8 .40	102
March-May	8 .32	8 .47	102
December1/- May	8 .29	8 .43	102
June-August	8 .34	8 .57	103
September-November	8 .34	8 .52	102
June-November	8 .34	8 .55	103
1/ December preceding year.

    Milk production for Florida during 1996 totaled 2,376 million pounds down slightly from 1995's production of 2,380 million pounds. The number of milk cows each month averaged 156,000 cows, 4 percent below last year. Average production per cow increased 540 pounds during 1996 from 14,691 pounds to 15,231 pounds. Average production per cow in Florida was 1,270 pounds below the national average of 16,501.

    U.S. milk production of 155,445 million pounds during 1996 was down 1 percent from the production of 155,644 million pounds in 1995. The total herd averaged 9,360,000 head, 101,000 head less than 1995. Production per cow was a record 16,501 pounds, 50 pounds over last years record of 16,451 pounds.

Monthly and annual milk cows and production, Florida and 22 major States; U.S. annual
Month and year	Milk cows	Milk production		Month and year	Milk cows	Milk production
		Per cow	Total			Per cow	Total
	Thousands	Pounds	Mil. lbs.		Thousands	Pounds	Mil. lbs.
FLORIDA				22 MAJOR STATES
1996				1996
January	155	1,405	218	January	8,026	1,406	11,285
February	155	1,350	209	February	8,010	1,338	10,719
March	156	1,475	230	March	7,998	1,459	11,671
April	157	1,400	220	April	7,988	1,434	11,451
May	157	1,375	216	May	7,987	1,470	11,740
June	156	1,235	193	June	7,984	1,387	11,075
July	156	1,145	179	July	7,977	1,397	11,142
August	156	1,070	167	August	7,969	1,377	10,970
September	155	1,070	166	September	7,957	1,337	10,640
October	156	1,155	180	October	7,953	1,380	10,977
November	157	1,230	193	November	7,943	1,342	10,662
December	158	1,300	205	December	7,937	1,394	11,063
ANNUAL				ANNUAL UNITED STATES TOTAL
1994	176	14,935	2,623	1994	9,525	16,129	153,626
1995	162	14,691	2,380	1995	9,461	16,451	155,644
1996	156	15,231	2,376	1996	9,360	16,501	154,445