Is Child Abuse Prevention Month Swine Producers Reduce Numbers of Hogs, Pigs Devastating financial losses suffered by pork producers in recent months are causing pork producers to decrease the number of animals they're raising. The latest report on the number of hogs and pigs from the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed that nationwide the number of hogs and pigs has dropped 1 percent since this time last year. The breeding herd was down 6 percent from a year ago. While the lower number of breeding hogs points toward smaller supplies of pork in the months ahead, near-term supplies of market hogs and pork will be higher than a year ago, Rawls said.
Hogs being raised for market are unchanged from a year ago.
This summer they again plan to breed 7 percent fewer hogs than last summer. One reason for the slow decline in hog numbers is the action of larger and smaller producers, he said. A recent farm magazine survey reported the nation's seven largest swine operations had only reduced sow numbers by 13,000 head. These operations with at least 115,000 sows and a total of 1.3 million sows are led by Smithfield Foods. That firm recently purchased Carroll Foods.