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Breeding inventory, at 5.77 million head, was down 2 percent from last year and down slightly from the previous quarter. Market hog inventory, at 59.2 million head, was down 3 percent from last year but up 1 percent from last quarter.
The June-August 2010 pig crop, at 28.5 million head, was down 1 percent from 2009 and down 3 percent from 2008. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 2.91 million head, down 2 percent from 2009 and down 6 percent from 2008. The sows farrowed during this quarter represented 50 percent 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.
http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/MannUsda/viewDocumentInfo.do?documentID=1086
