Illinois Agricultural Statistics Service P.O. Box 19283 Springfield, IL 62794-9283 Telephone - 217/492-4295 Fax - 217/492-4291 E-mail - nass-il@nass.usda.gov Illinois Department of Agriculture NEWS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Garry Kepley or Rick Kestle - 800/622-9865 http://www.agr.state.il.us/agstats.htm September 24, 1999 SPRINGFIELD, IL -- The Illinois Agricultural Statistics Service today released the USDA's September 1 Hogs and Pigs Report. State and national highlights of the report include: ILLINOIS Total inventory of all hogs and pigs on hand September 1, 1999 was 4.2 million head, down 13 percent from last year, and down three percent from the June 1, 1999 inventory. This was 150 thousand less than were on hand on June 1, 1999 and is the lowest inventory on record since December, 1937. Market hogs, at 3.72 million head, were down 13 percent from a year ago, while breeding hogs, at 430 thousand head, were down 20 percent. The June through August pig crop, at 1.72 million pigs, was down 13 percent from last year. There were 200 thousand sows that farrowed, down 13 percent from last year. The average number of pigs per litter was 8.6, unchanged from the litter rate during the same period last year. Hog producers intend to farrow 190 thousand sows during the September through November quarter, down 19 percent from the same period a year ago. The first intentions estimate for the December 1999 through February 2000 quarter is 180 thousand, down 14 percent from a year earlier. UNITED STATES U.S. inventory of all hogs and pigs on September 1, 1999, was 60.7 million head. This was four percent below September 1998, but slightly above June 1, 1999. Breeding inventory, at 6.29 million head, was down eight percent from September 1, 1998, and down three percent from June 1, 1999. Market hog inventory, at 54.4 million head, was four percent below last year, but one percent above last quarter. The June-August 1999 U.S. pig crop, at 25.9 million head, was three percent less than 1998, but one percent more than 1997. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 2.93 million head, four percent below last year. The sows farrowed during this quarter represented 45 percent of the breeding herd. The average pigs per litter rose to an average of 8.86 pigs saved per litter for the June-August period, compared to 8.72 pigs last year. Pigs saved per litter by size of operation ranged from 7.80 for operations with 1-99 hogs to 9.00 for operations with more than 5,000 hogs and pigs. U.S. hog producers intend to farrow 2.85 million sows during the September-November 1999 quarter, five percent below the actual farrowings during the same period in 1998, and three percent below 1997. Intended farrowings for December 1999-February 2000, at 2.81 million sows, are three percent below the same period last year and four percent below 1998. HOGS AND PIGS: INVENTORY NUMBERS, SEPTEMBER 1, 1998-99 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Illinois : United States :----------------------------:------------------------------ : : : 1999 as %: : : 1999 as % : 1998 : 1999 : of 1998 : 1998 : 1999 : of 1998 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 head Percent 1,000 head Percent : Breeding : 540 430 80 6,875 6,291 92 : Market : 4,310 3,770 87 56,612 54,444 96 : Under 60 lbs. : 1,540 1,390 90 21,189 20,273 96 60-119 lbs : 1,050 930 89 14,032 13,424 96 120-179lbs : 930 820 88 11,555 11,149 96 180 lbs.& over : 790 630 80 9,837 9,599 98 : : Total : 4,850 4,200 87 63,488 60,736 96 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- HOGS AND PIGS: FARROWINGS & PIG CROP, 1998-99 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Illinois : United States :----------------------------:------------------------------ : : : 1999 as %: : : 1999 as % : 1998 : 1999 : of 1998 : 1998 : 1999 : of 1998 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 head Percent 1,000 head Percent : Sows Farrowing : Dec-Feb 1/ : 210 180 2/ 86 2,897 2,808 97 Mar-May : 255 210 82 3,086 2,990 97 Jun-Aug : 230 200 87 3,054 2,925 96 Sep-Nov : 235 190 2/ 81 2,993 2,850 95 : Pig Crop : Mar-May : 2,193 1,817 83 26,989 26,301 97 Jun-Aug : 1,978 1,720 87 26,634 25,907 97 : Pigs Per Litter : Mar-May : 8.60 8.65 - 8.75 8.80 - Jun-Aug : 8.60 8.60 - 8.72 8.86 - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ February of next year. 2/ Intentions. # # # #