USDA Hogs And Pigs: U.S. Verbatim Text For June 2017

WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- Verbatim Text from USDA U.S.

Hogs and Pigs for period ended June 1, 2017:

United States Hog Inventory Up 3 Percent

United States inventory of all hogs and pigs on June 1, 2017 was 71.7 million

head. This was up 3 percent from June 1, 2016, and up 1 percent from March 1,

2017. This is the highest June 1 inventory of all hogs and pigs since

estimates began in 1964.

Breeding inventory, at 6.07 million head, was up 2 percent from last year,

and up slightly from the previous quarter.

Market hog inventory, at 65.6 million head, was up 4 percent from last year,

and up 1 percent from last quarter. This is the highest June 1 market hog

inventory since estimates began in 1964.

The March-May 2017 pig crop, at 32.3 million head, was up 4 percent from

2016. This is the second largest March-May pig crop since since estimates

began in 1970. Sows farrowed during this period totaled 3.06 million head, up

3 percent from 2016. The sows farrowed during this quarter represented 50

percent of the breeding herd. The average pigs saved per litter was a record

high 10.55 for the March-May period, compared to 10.48 last year. Pigs saved

per litter by size of operation ranged from 7.70 for operations with 1-99

hogs and pigs to 10.60 for operations with more than 5,000 hogs and pigs.

United States hog producers intend to have 3.06 million sows farrow during

the June-August 2017 quarter, up slightly from the actual farrowings during

the same period in 2016, and up 2 percent from 2015. Intended farrowings for

September-November 2017, at 3.06 million sows, are up slightly from 2016, and

up 4 percent from 2015.

The total number of hogs under contract owned by operations with over 5,000

head, but raised by contractees, accounted for 48 percent of the total United

States hog inventory, up from 47 percent the previous year.

Revisions

All inventory and pig crop estimates for June 2016 through March 2017 were

reviewed using final pig crop, official slaughter, death loss, and updated

import and export data. The net revision made to the December 2016 all hogs

and pigs inventory was 0.03 percent. A revision of 0.1 percent was made to

the September-November 2016 pig crop. A revision of 0.1 percent was made to

the March 2017 all hogs and pigs inventory.

Write to Rodney Christian at csstat@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 29, 2017 15:15 ET (19:15 GMT)