Totaling 5.77 million head, breeding inventory was down 2% from last year and down slightly from the previous quarter. At 59.2 million head, market-hog inventory was down 3% from last year but up 1% from last quarter.
The June-August 2010 pig crop, at 28.5 million head, was down 1% from 2009 and down 3% from 2008. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 2.91 million head, down 2% from 2009 and down 6% from 2008.
Sows farrowed during this quarter represented 50% of the breeding herd. The average pigs saved per litter was 9.81 for the June-August 2010 period, compared to 9.70 last year. The litter rate equaled the record for pigs saved per litter set during the March-May 2010 period. Pigs saved per litter by size of operation ranged from 7.80 for operations with 1-99 hogs and pigs to 9.90 for operations with more than 5,000 hogs and pigs.
During the September-November 2010 quarter, U.S. hog producers intend to have 2.88 million sows farrow, down 1% from the actual farrowings during the same period in 2009 and down 5% from 2008. Intended farrowings for December 2010-February 2011, at 2.89 million sows, are up slightly from 2010 but down 4% from 2009.
The total number of hogs under contract-owned by operations with more than 5,000 head but raised by contractees, accounted for 43% of the total U.S. hog inventory, down from 46% last year.
