There USDA has reported that there were 62.9 million pigs on US farms on March 1 this year, the lowest number since 2007.
According to the organisation’s quarterly hogs and pigs report, the numbers included 57.0 million finishing pigs and 5.85 million breeding fermales.
The overall number was down by 3% on the year, although there was an increase in sow numbers. The fall in finishers is almost certainly a result of PEDv.
The figures show that between December 2013 and February 2014, 27.3 million pigs were born on US farms, down 3% from the same time period in 2013. On average 9.53 pigs/litter were born in the period.
US pig producers plan to farrow 2.88 million sows between March and May 2014, and 2.96 million sows between June and August 2014.