FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: SEPTEMBER 24, 2010
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: JAMES E. RAMEY
REYNOLDSBURG, OH
(614)728-2100


OHIO HOG INVENTORY DOWN SLIGHTLY 

Ohio hog producers had 2.04 million hogs on hand September 1, 2010, down
2 percent from last quarter and down slightly from a year ago. The
number of market hogs, at 1.88 million head, was down 3 percent from
last quarter and down 1 percent from last year. Breeding stock, at
165,000 head, was unchanged from last quarter but up 3 percent from last
year. 

The pig crop during the June-August 2010 quarter numbered 860,000 head,
3 percent above last quarter and up 4 percent from last year. The number
of sows farrowed during the June-August 2010 quarter, at 90,000, was
4,000 head above last year and 2,000 head above last quarter. Pigs saved
per litter averaged 9.55, slightly above last quarter but below last
year. 

Ohio producers intend to farrow 82,000 sows during the
September-November 2010 quarter; 5,000 head below a year earlier.
Farrowing intentions for the winter quarter, December 2010-February
2011, is 86,000 sows, 3,000 head below the same quarter of 2010. 

U.S. HOG INVENTORY DOWN 3 PERCENT 

U.S. inventory of all hogs and pigs on September 1, 2010 was 65.0
million head. This was down 3 percent from September 1, 2009 but up 1
percent from June 1, 2010. 

Breeding inventory, at 5.77 million head, was down 2 percent from last
year and down slightly from the previous quarter. Market hog inventory,
at 59.2 million head, was down 3 percent from last year but up 1 percent
from last quarter. 

The June-August 2010 pig crop, at 28.5 million head, was down 1 percent
from 2009 and down 3 percent from 2008. Sows farrowing during this
period totaled 2.91 million head, down 2 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 9.81
for the June-August 2010 period, compared to 9.70 last year. The litter
rate equaled the record for pigs saved per litter set during the
March-May 2010 period. Pigs saved per litter by size of operation ranged
from 7.80 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 2.88 million sows farrow during the
September-November 2010 quarter, down 1 percent from the actual
farrowings during the same period in 2009 and down 5 percent from 2008.
Intended farrowings for December 2010-February 2011, at 2.89 million
sows, are up slightly from 2010 but down 4 percent from 2009. 

The total number of hogs under contract owned by operations with over
5,000 head, but raised by contractees, accounted for 43 percent of the
total U.S. hog inventory, down from 46 percent last year. 

Revisions 

All inventory and pig crop estimates for September 2009 through June
2010 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 March 2010 total inventory and June 2010
total inventory. An adjustment of less than one percent was made to the
December 2009-February 2010 pig crop.