Hog & Pig Report – June 2022 

The inventory of all hogs and pigs in the U.S. on June 1, 2022 was 72.5 million head. This was down 1 percent from June 1, 2021, and down slightly from March 1, 2022. Iowa’s hog inventory was 23 million head, down 3% from 2021 and down 0.4% from March 2022. Iowa now holds 31.7% of the U.S. hog inventory. 

 

Figure 1. Iowa and U.S. Hog Inventory 

The U.S. hog breeding inventory was estimated to be 6.17 million head, down 1 percent from last year, but up 1 percent from the previous quarter. Iowa’s hog breeding herd was estimated to be 940,000 head, up 3.3% from a year ago, and up 4.4% from the previous quarter. Iowa holds 15.2% of the U.S. hog breeding herd. 

Market hog inventory in the U.S. was 66.4 million head, down 1 percent from last year, and down slightly from last quarter. Iowa’s market hog inventory was 22.06 million head, down 3.2% from a year ago, and down 0.6% from last quarter. Iowa holds 33.2% of U.S. market hogs. 

 

 

Figure 2. Iowa and U.S. Market Hog Inventory 

 
The U.S. March-May 2022 pig crop, at 32.9 million head, was down 1 percent from 2021. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 2.99 million head, down 1 percent from 2021. The sows farrowed during this quarter represented 49 percent of the breeding herd. The average pigs saved per litter was 11.00 for the March-May period, compared to 10.95 last year.  For Iowa, the March-May pig crop was 5,782,000 head, down 0.6% from last year. This was from 475,000 sows farrowing, resulting in 11.3 pigs per litter. 

For the June-August 2022 period, Iowa is expected to farrow 510,000 sows which would be 1% more than a year earlier. However, farrowing intentions for the September-November 2022 period are forecasted to be down 3% from a year earlier.  

Market hog slaughter started 2022 running nearly 10% below 2021 weekly rates. By February, weekly market hog slaughter was running 4.5% below 2021 levels. Since the first week of May, market hog slaughter rates have been about equal to 2021 slaughter rates.  

 

 

 

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Weekly market hog prices (weighted average, carcass weight) started 2022 33% higher than January 2021 prices. The price premium in 2022 grew to more than 50% by early February but fell below year ago levels by mid-April. Market hog prices over the past 4 weeks have been both higher than and lower than year-ago prices. It is likely that market hog prices in the second half of 2022 will run above year-ago levels.  

Figure 4. B&G Weekly Hog Price 

 

Economic analysis provided by David Miller, Consulting Chief Economist, Decision Innovation Solutions on behalf of Iowa Farm Bureau.