September 28, 2007

Nebraska inventory of all hogs and pigs on September 1 was 3.20 million head, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service, Nebraska Field Office. This was 5% above September 1, 2006, and up 3% from June 1, 2007. Breeding inventory, at 365,000 head, was 4% above September 1, 2006, and up 1% from last quarter. Market hog inventory, at 2.84 million head, was 5% above last year and 3% higher than last quarter.

The June-August 2007 Nebraska pig crop, at 1.72 million head, was 7% above 2006. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 185,000 head, an increase of 6% from last year. Nebraska hog producers intend to farrow 180,000 sows during the September-November 2007 quarter, down 3% from the actual farrowings during the same period in 2006. Intended farrowings for December 2007-February 2008, are 185,000 sows, up 3% from the actual farrowings during the same period the previous year.

Nationally, the inventory of all hogs and pigs on September 1, 2007 was 64.6 million head. This was up 3% from both September 1, 2006, and June 1, 2007. Breeding inventory, at 6.14 million head, was up 1% from last year, and up slightly from the previous quarter. Market hog inventory, at 58.5 million head, was up 3% from both last year and last quarter.

The June-August 2007 pig crop, at 27.5 million head, was up 4% from each of the last two years. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 2.99 million head, up 3% from 2006 and up 2% from 2005.

U.S. hog producers intend to have 2.96 million sows farrow during the September-November 2007 quarter, up 1% from the actual farrowings in 2006, and up 2% from 2005. Intended farrowings for December 2007-February 2008, at 2.94 million sows, are up 1% from 2007, and up 4% from 2006. Find agricultural statistics for your county, state, and the nation at www.nass.usda.gov/