WASHINGTON — The US Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) unveiled its recent Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report on 28th September, pointing to a modest ascent in the US hog count.
As of the start of September, US farms housed 74.3 million hogs and pigs, reflecting a minor increase from the same timeframe in 2022 and a growth of 2% since the beginning of June 2023.
To compile this report, NASS orchestrated an extensive survey in the initial half of September, encompassing roughly 4,500 operators nationwide. The objective was to meticulously gauge the current state of the US swine sector.
The data was amassed through diverse channels, including electronic submissions, postal correspondence, telephonic conversations, and face-to-face discussions.
Key points from the report include:
- Of the total 74.3 million hogs and pigs, market hogs constituted 68.2 million. At the same time, a set aside of 6.08 million was earmarked for breeding purposes.
- Between June and August 2023, US farms witnessed the weaning of 34.2 million pigs, a figure slightly above the preceding year’s count.
- The mean tally of pigs weaned for each litter during this interval was recorded at 11.61.
- Gazing into the forthcoming months, US hog cultivators are anticipated to chart plans for 2.93 million sows to farrow in the September-November 2023 window and 2.91 million sows in the December 2023 to February 2024 period.
- On the state inventory front, Iowa emerged at the forefront with 24.4 million head, trailed by Minnesota’s 8.70 million and North Carolina’s 8.00 million.
For aficionados seeking an in-depth exploration, the complete Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report, in conjunction with other NASS documents, is available at www.nass.usda.gov.
