USDA: Ohio hog numbers up; U.S. numbers down

COLUMBUS — Ohio hog producers had 1.97 million hogs on hand March 1, 2009, up 2 percent from last quarter and up 6 percent from a year ago.

The number of market hogs, at 1.8 million head, was up 2 percent from last quarter and up 7 percent from last year. Breeding stock, at 170,000 head, was the same as last quarter and up 3 percent from last year.

The pig crop during the December-February 2009 quarter numbered 808,000 head, 1 percent below last year but 2 percent above last quarter.

The number of sows farrowed during the December-February 2009 quarter, at 86,000, was 3,000 head below last year and 2,000 head below last quarter. Pigs saved per litter averaged 9.40, up 3 percent from last year.

Ohio producers intend to farrow 85,000 sows during the March-May 2009 quarter; 4,000 head below a year earlier. Farrowing intentions for the summer quarter, June-August 2009, is 85,000 sows, 4,000 head below the same quarter of 2008.

U.S. hog inventory

U.S. inventory of all hogs and pigs on March 1, 2009, was 65.4 million head, down 3 percent from March 1, 2008, and down 2 percent from December 1, 2008.

Breeding inventory, at 6.01 million head, was down 3 percent from last year.

Market hog inventory, at 59.4 million head, was down 3 percent from last year and down 2 percent from last quarter.

Farrowing picture

The December 2008-February 2009 pig crop, at 28.2 million head, was down 1 percent from 2008 but up 7 percent from 2007. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 2.98 million head, down 3 percent from 2008 but up 3 percent from 2007. The sows farrowed during this quarter represented 50 percent of the breeding herd.

The average pigs saved per litter was 9.48 for the December 2008-February 2009 period, compared to 9.24 last year. Pigs saved per litter by size of operation ranged from 7.30 for operations with 1-99 hogs and pigs to 9.50 for operations with more than 5,000 hogs and pigs.

U.S. hog producers intend to have 2.96 million sows farrow during the March- May 2009 quarter, down 3 percent from the actual farrowings during the same period in 2008. Intended farrowings for June- August 2009, at 2.95 million sows, are 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 45 percent of the total U.S. hog inventory, up from 40 percent last year.