USDA released its quarterly Hogs and Pigs report today. The inventory of all hogs and pigs on 1 March was 74.5 million head. This was down slightly from 1 March 2024 and down 1 percent from 1 December.  

Breeding inventory, at 5.98 million head, was down 1 percent from last year, and down slightly from the previous quarter. Market hog inventory, at 68.5 million head, was down slightly from last year, and down 1 percent from last quarter. The December 2024-February 2025 pig crop, at 33.7 million head, was down slightly from last year. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 2.89 million head, down 1 percent from previous year. The sows farrowed during this quarter represented 48 percent of the breeding herd. 

The quarterly...