US hog inventory up 1 percent

The United States inventory of all hogs and pigs on March 1, 2013 was 65.9 million head. This was up 1 percent from March 1, 2012, but down 1 percent from December 1, 2012, according to the USDA’s Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report. 
Breeding inventory, at 5.83 million head, was up slightly from 2012, and up slightly from the previous quarter. Market hog inventory, at 60.1 million head, was up 2 percent from 2012, but down 1 percent from last quarter. 
The December 2012-February 2013 pig crop, at 29.0 million head, was up 2 percent from 2012. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 2.88 million head, up 1 percent from 2012. The sows farrowed during this quarter represented 49 percent of the breeding herd. The average pigs saved per litter was a record high 10.08 for the December-February period, compared to 9.97 last year. Pigs saved per litter by size of operation ranged from 7.50 for operations with 1-99 hogs and pigs to 10.10 for operations with more than 5,000 hogs and pigs.
United States hog producers intend to have 2.96 million sows farrow during the March-May 2013 quarter, down 1 percent from the actual farrowings during the same period in 2012, but up 1 percent from 2011. Intended farrowings for June-August 2013, at 2.91 million sows, are down 1 percent from 2012, and down 1 percent from 2011. 
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, unchanged from last year.