SE Asian Hog Herd Declines, U.S.Herd Expands

(WASHINGTON, DC) As Southeast Asia is losing their hog population to death and culling from the result of African swine fever (ASF), the U.S. inventory is growing. According to USDA’s Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report. there were 75.5 million hogs and pigs on farms as of June 1st, four percent greater than June 2018, and one percent from the previous quarter. Of the 75.5 million hogs and pigs, 91.5 percent were market hogs (69.1 million head) while 6.41 million were kept for breeding. Between March and May, 34.2 million pigs were weaned on U.S. farms, four percent higher than the same time period one year earlier. Hog and pig producers weaned an average of 11 pigs per litter during the quarter and they intend to have 3.18 million sows farrow between June and August 2019, with 3.17 million sows farrowing between September and November 2019. Iowa remains the largest hog producing state with 23.7 million head. North Carolina (9.2 million) and Minnesota (8.7 million head) round out the top three states for production.