Ohio hog inventory up from year ago

COLUMBUS — Ohio hog producers had 2.12 million hogs on hand June 1, up 3 percent from a year ago and up 2 percent from last quarter.

The number of market hogs, at 1,950,000 head, was up 2 percent from last quarter and up 3 percent from last year.

Breeding stock

Breeding stock, at 170,000 head, was up 3 percent from both last quarter and last year. The pig crop during the March-May 2012 quarter numbered 896,000 head, up 4 percent from last year and up 4 percent from last quarter.

The number of sows farrowed during the March-May 2012 quarter, at 91,000, was up 2 percent from last quarter but unchanged from last year.

Pigs saved per litter averaged 9.85, up 4 percent from last year and up 2 percent from last quarter. Ohio producers intend to farrow 89,000 sows during the June-August 2012 quarter, down 2 percent from a year earlier.

Farrowing intentions

Farrowing intentions for the fall quarter, September-November 2012, is 86,000 sows, down 7 percent from the same quarter of 2011.

National picture. U.S. inventory of all hogs and pigs on June 1, 2012 was 65.8 million head. This was up 1 percent from June 1, 2011, and up 1 percent from March 1, 2012.

The number of hogs under contract owned by operations with over 5,000 head, but raised by contractees, accounted for 47 percent of the total U.S. hog inventory.

Breeding inventory, at 5.86 million head, was up 1 percent from last year, and up 1 percent from the previous quarter. Market hog inventory, at 60.0 million head, was up 1 percent from last year.

Breeding herd

The March-May 2012 pig crop, at 29.4 million head, was up 1 percent from 2011. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 2.92 million head, up slightly from 2011. The sows farrowed during this quarter represented 50 percent of the breeding herd. The average pigs saved per litter was a record high 10.09 for the March-May period, compared to 10.03 last year.

Pigs saved per litter by size of operation ranged from 7.50 for operations with 1-99 hogs and pigs to 10.20 for operations with more than 5,000 hogs and pigs.

Farrowing intentions

U.S. hog producers intend to have 2.90 million sows farrow during the June-August 2012 quarter, down 1 percent from the actual farrowings during the same period in 2011, and down 1 percent from 2010.

Intended farrowings for September-November 2012, at 2.89 million sows, are down 1 percent from 2011, but up slightly from 2010.

The total number of hogs under contract owned by operations with over 5,000 head, but raised by contractees, accounted for 47 percent of the total United States hog inventory, up from 45 percent last year.