oh-press-release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 3/26/10
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: JAMES E. RAMEY, DIRECTOR
REYNOLDSBURG, OH
(614)728-2100

OHIO HOG INVENTORY UP 2 PERCENT

Ohio hog producers had 2.05 million hogs on hand March 1, 2010, up 2
percent from last quarter and up 4 percent from a year ago. The number
of market hogs, at 1,880,000 head, was up 2 percent from last quarter
and up 4 percent from last year. Breeding stock, at 170,000 head, was up
3 percent from last quarter but unchanged from last year. 

The pig crop during the December-February 2010 quarter numbered 842,000
head, 3 percent above last quarter and 2 percent above last year. The
number of sows farrowed during the December-February 2010 quarter, at
90,000, was 3,000 head above last quarter and 2,000 head above last
year. Pigs saved per litter averaged 9.35, down 1 percent from last
quarter and last year. 

Ohio producers intend to farrow 87,000 sows during the March-May 2010
quarter; 1,000 head below a year earlier. Farrowing intentions for the
summer quarter, June-August 2010, is 89,000 sows, 3,000 head above the
same quarter of 2009. 

U.S. HOG INVENTORY DOWN 3 PERCENT 

U.S. inventory of all hogs and pigs on March 1, 2010 was 64.0 million
head. This was down 3 percent from March 1, 2009 and down 2 percent from
December 1, 2009. Breeding inventory, at 5.76 million head, was down 4
percent from last year and down 2 percent from the previous quarter.
Market hog inventory, at 58.2 million head, was down 3 percent from last
year and down 2 percent from last quarter. 

The December 2009-February 2010 pig crop, at 27.9 million head, was down
2 percent from 2009 and down 2 percent from 2008. Sows farrowing during
this period totaled 2.90 million head, down 4 percent from 2009 and down
6 percent from 2008. The sows farrowed during this quarter represented
50 percent of the breeding herd. The average pigs saved per litter was a
record high 9.61 for the December 2009-February 2010 period, compared to
9.48 last year. Pigs saved per litter by size of operation ranged from
7.40 for operations with 1-99 hogs and pigs to 9.70 for operations with
more than 5,000 hogs and pigs. 

U.S. hog producers intend to have 2.90 million sows farrow during the
March-May 2010 quarter, down 4 percent from the actual farrowings during
the same period in 2009 and down 5 percent from 2008. Intended
farrowings for June-August 2010, at 2.89 million sows, are down 2
percent from 2009 and down 6 percent from 2008. The total number of hogs
under contract owned by operations with over 5,000 head, but raised by
contractees, accounted for 44 percent of the total U.S. hog inventory,
down from 45 percent last year. 

Revisions 

All inventory and pig crop estimates for March 2009 through December
2009 were reviewed using Slaughter, death loss and current import and
export data. Based on this review, adjustments of less than one half of
one percent were made to the June-August 2009 pig crop and September
2009 total inventory. An adjustment of less than one percent was made to
the December 2009 total inventory.