FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 06/25/10
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: JAMES E. RAMEY 
REYNOLDSBURG, OH
(614)728-2100

OHIO HOG INVENTORY UP 4 PERCENT FROM JUNE 2009 

Ohio hog producers had 2.09 million hogs on hand June 1, 2010, up 4
percent from a year ago and up 2 percent from last quarter. The number
of market hogs, at 1,925,000 head, was up 3 percent from last quarter
and up 5 percent from last year. Breeding stock, at 165,000 head, was
down 3 percent from last year and last quarter. 

The pig crop during the March-May 2010 quarter numbered 836,000 head,
unchanged from last year but down 1 percent from last quarter. The
number of sows farrowed during the March-May 2010 quarter, at 88,000,
was down 2 percent from last quarter but unchanged from last year. Pigs
saved per litter averaged 9.5, unchanged from last year but up 2 percent
from last quarter. 

Ohio producers intend to farrow 83,000 sows during the June-August 2010
quarter; down 3 percent from a year earlier. Farrowing intentions for
the fall quarter, September-November 2010, is 85,000 sows, down 2
percent from the same quarter of 2009. 

U.S. HOG INVENTORY DOWN 4 PERCENT 

U.S. inventory of all hogs and pigs on June 1, 2010 was 64.4 million
head. This was down 4 percent from June 1, 2009 but up 1 percent from
March 1, 2010. Breeding inventory, at 5.79 million head, was down 3
percent from last year but up slightly from the previous quarter. Market
hog inventory, at 58.6 million head, was down 4 percent from last year
but up 1 percent from last quarter. 

The March-May 2010 pig crop, at 28.2 million head, was down 3 percent
from 2009 and down 2 percent from 2008. Sows farrowing during this
period totaled 2.87 million head, down 5 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 9.81 for the March-May 2010 period, compared to 9.61 last
year. Pigs saved per litter by size of operation ranged from 7.70 for
operations with 1-99 hogs and pigs to 9.90 for operations with more than
5,000 hogs and pigs. 

U.S. hog producers intend to have 2.89 million sows farrow during the
June-August 2010 quarter, down 2 percent from the actual farrowings
during the same period in 2009 and down 6 percent from 2008. Intended
farrowings for September-November 2010, at 2.90 million sows, are down 1
percent from 2009 and down 4 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 46 percent last year. 

All inventory and pig crop estimates for June 2009 through March 2010
were reviewed using slaughter, death loss and current import and export
data. Based on this review, adjustments of less than one percent were
made to the December 2009 total inventory and March 2010 total
inventory. An adjustment of two percent was made to the
September-November 2009 pig crop.