US, Canada hogs up 1 percent for December 2011

U.S. and Canadian inventory of all hogs and pigs for December 2011 was 78 million head, up 1 percent from December 2010 and 2 percent from December 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's latest report. The breeding inventory, at 7.11 million head, was up slightly from 2010 numbers and up slightly from July–September 2011. Market hog inventory, at 70.8 million head, was up 2 percent from 2010 but down 1 percent from 2011's third quarter. The pig crop, at 36.4 million head, was up 2 percent from 2010 and up 3 percent from 2009. Sows farrowed during this period totaled 3.61 million head, up 1 percent from 2010 numbers but down 1 percent from 2009. U.S. inventory of all hogs and pigs on December 1, 2011 was 65.9 million head. This was up 2 percent from December 1, 2010, but down 1 percent from September 1, 2011. The breeding inventory, at 5.8 million head, was up slightly from 2010 numbers but down slightly from the third quarter of 2011. Market hog inventory, at 60.1 million head, was up 2 percent from 2010, but down 1 percent from July–September 2011. The pig crop, at 29 million head, was up 2 percent from 2010 and up 3 percent from 2009. Sows farrowed during this period totaled 2.89 million head, up slightly from 2010 but down 1 percent from 2009. Canadian inventory of all hogs and pigs on January 1, 2012 was 12 million head. This was up 1 percent from January 1, 2011 and up 2 percent from January 1, 2010. The breeding inventory, at 1.31 million head, was unchanged from 2010 and up slightly from 2011's third quarter. Market hog inventory, at 10.7 million head, was up 1 percent from 2010 numbers and up slightly from the third quarter of 2011. The pig crop, at 7.4 million head, was up 4 percent from 2011 and up 3 percent from 2010. Sows farrowed during this period totaled 720,000 head, up 1 percent from 2011 but down 1 percent from 2010.