oh-press-release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: DECEMBER 27, 2010
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: JAMES E. RAMEY
REYNOLDSBURG, OH
(614)728-2100


OHIO HOG INVENTORY UP 1 PERCENT 

Ohio hog producers had 2,030,000 hogs on hand December 1, 2010, was up 1
percent from a year earlier, but down 1 percent from last quarter. The
number of market hogs, at 1,860,000 head, was up 1 percent from last
year but down 1 percent from last quarter. Breeding stock, at 170,000
head, was up 3 percent from last year and last quarter. 

The September-November pig crop numbered 837,000 head, which was up 2
percent from last year but down 3 percent from last quarter. The number
of sows farrowed during the September-November 2010 quarter at 89,000
was 1,000 head below last quarter but 2,000 head above last year. Pigs
saved per litter during the September-November 2010 quarter averaged 9.4
and was unchanged from the same period last year but down 2 percent from
last quarter. 

Ohio producers intend to farrow 86,000 sows during the December-February
2011 quarter; down 3 percent from a year earlier. Farrowing intentions
for the spring quarter, March-May 2011, is 87,000; down 2 percent from
the same quarter of 2010. 

UNITED STATES HOG INVENTORY DOWN 1 PERCENT 

United States inventory of all hogs and pigs on December 1, 2010 was
64.3 million head. This was down 1 percent from December 1, 2009, and
down 2 percent from September 1, 2010. 

Breeding inventory, at 5.78 million head, was down 1 percent from last
year, but up slightly from the previous quarter. Market hog inventory,
at 58.5 million head, was down 1 percent from last year, and down 2
percent from last quarter. 

The September-November 2010 pig crop, at 28.2 million head, was down
slightly from 2009. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 2.85
million head, down 2 percent from 2009. The sows farrowed during this
quarter represented 49 percent of the breeding herd. The average pigs
saved per litter was a record high 9.89 for the September-November 2010
period, compared to 9.70 last year. Pigs saved per litter by size of
operation ranged from 7.70 for operations with 1-99 hogs and pigs to
10.00 for operations with more than 5,000 hogs and pigs. 

United States hog producers intend to have 2.86 million sows farrow
during the December 2010-February 2011 quarter, down 1 percent from the
actual farrowings during the December 2009-February 2010 quarter, and
down 5 percent from December 2008-February 2009 quarter. Intended
farrowings for March-May 2011, at 2.86 million sows, are down 2 percent
from 2010 and down 5 percent from 2009. 

The total number of hogs under contract owned by operations with over
5,000 head, but raised by contractees, accounted for 45 percent of the
total United States hog inventory, up from 44 percent last year.