PEDv Impact Greater Than Expected, USDA Says

USDA’s quarterly hogs and pigs report, released June 27, was expected to reflect the impact of PEDv, but that impact was larger than analysts anticipated, reported BrownfieldAgNews.com.

University of Missouri Agricultural Economics Professor Ron Plain said PEDv is reducing hog numbers, and producers can do little to stop its spread, but, “The pigs per litter continues to be very low and that’s pulling down the number of market hogs, and gives us a very bright outlook for hog prices.”

As of June 1, all hogs and pigs in the U.S. were 62.128 million head, down 5% on the year, when, on average, analysts anticipated a 2.9% decline. The breeding inventory was pegged at 5.855 million head, a little less than last year. Hogs weighing less than 50 pounds were 17.999 million head, and the 50-to-119-pound category was 16.071 million, while the 120-to-179 pounders were 11.931 million head and the 180-pound-and-over category was 10.271 million.

The March to May pig crop of 27.361 million head was 5% lower than a year ago, and sow farrowings during that period saw a modest year-to-year decline at 2.797 million head. An average of 9.78 pigs per litter were saved, compared to 10.31 for March to May 2013.

June through August farrowing intentions are projected at 2.893 million head, which would be up slightly on the year, and September through November intentions are seen at 2.880 million head, which would be up 4%. S