As of March 1, there were 67.6 million hogs and pigs on U.S. farms, up slightly from March 2015, but down 1% from Dec. 1, 2015, according to the Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report published March 25 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

Other key findings in the report:

-Of the 67.6 million hogs and pigs, 61.7 million were market hogs, while 5.98 million were kept for breeding.

-Between December 2015 and February 2016, 29.6 million pigs were weaned on U.S. farms, down slightly from the same time period one year earlier.

-From December 2015 through February 2016, U.S. hog and pig producers weaned an average of 10.30 pigs per litter.

Between December 2015 and February 2016, 29.6 million pigs were weaned on U.S. farms. (Photo: Darcy Maulsby/Thinkstock)

-U.S. hog producers intend to have 2.84 million sows farrow between March and May 2016, and 2.91 million sows farrow between June and August 2016.

-Iowa hog producers accounted for the largest inventory among the states, at 20.2 million head. North Carolina and Minnesota had the second and third largest inventories with 8.70 million and 7.95 million head, respectively.

To obtain an accurate measurement of the U.S. swine industry, NASS surveyed more than 8,100 operators across the nation during the first half of March. Data were collected by mail, telephone and through face-to-face interviews. All surveyed producers were asked to report their hog and pig inventories as of March 1, 2016.

The Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report and all other NASS reports are available online at www.nass.usda.gov.

Source: USDA NASS

Source: USDA NASS