Livestock > Outlook & Prices > Prices
April 2022
Hogs and pigs inventory contraction continues
The US inventory of all hogs and pigs on March 1, 2022 was 72.209 million head, down 2.3% from a year ago and down 2.6% from December 1, 2021 (Table 1). There were 23.0 million hogs and pigs on Iowa farms, down 2.5% from a year ago and down 3.4% from last quarter.
The US breeding herd inventory, at 6.098 million head, was down 1.9% from last year and down 0.4% from the previous quarter. The Iowa breeding inventory, at 900,000 head, was down 4.3% from last year and down 2.2% from last quarter. This was the smallest March 1 Iowa breeding ever in the history of the data back to 1963. The 900,000 head of Iowa sows, gilts, and boars ties September 2021 for the smallest breeding herd inventory of any quarter. Iowa has 14.8% of the national breeding herd.
The US market hog inventory, at 66.111 million head, was down 2.4% from last year and down 2.8% from last quarter. The Iowa market hog inventory, at 22.100 million head, was down 2.5% from last year and down 3.4% from last quarter. Iowa has 33.4% of the national market hog inventory.
Commercial slaughter and price forecasts
Table 2 contains the Iowa State University price forecasts for the next four quarters. Prices are for the Iowa-Minnesota producer sold weighted average carcass base price for all purchase types. Basis forecasts along with lean hog futures prices are used to make cash price projections. The table also contains the projected year over year changes in commercial hog slaughter.
Lee Schulz, extension livestock specialist, 515-294-3356, lschulz@iastate.edu
