Modest Gain in NA Hog Herd

WASHINGTON - Feb 15/06 - SNS -- There were slightly more hogs i=on hand in Canada and the United States at the start of the year than was he case on January 1 of 2005, according to a joint release from the USDA and Statistics Canada.

Inventory of all hogs and pigs for December 2005 in the U.S. and Canada was 75.7 million head. This was up 1% from December 2003, and up slightly from 2004. The breeding inventory, at 7.66 million head, was up slightly from a year ago, and up 1% from last quarter.

Market hog inventory, at 68.0 million head, was up slightly from last year, and down 1% from last quarter. The pig crop, at 34.2 million head, was up 1% from 2003, but down 1% from 2004. Sows farrowed during this period totaled 3.75 million head, down 1% from last year.

U.S. inventory of all hogs and pigs on December 1, 2005 was 61.2 million head. This was up slightly from December 1, 2004, but down 1% from September 1, 2005. Breeding inventory, at 6.01 million head, was up 1% from last year and last quarter. Market hog inventory, at 55.2 million head, was up slightly from last year but down 1% from last quarter. Sows farrowed during this period totaled 2.89 million head, unchanged from last year.

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