U.S. inventory of all hogs and pigs on June 1, 2009 was 66.1 million head. This was down 2 percent from June 1, 2008 but up 1 percent from March 1, 2009. Breeding inventory, at 5.97 million head, was down 3 percent from last year and down slightly from the previous quarter. Market hog inventory, at 60.1 million head, was down 2 percent from last year
but up 1 percent from last quarter. The March-May 2009 pig crop, at 28.5 million head, was down slightly from 2008 but up 2 percent from 2007. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 2.97 million head, down 3 percent from 2008 and down 2 percent from 2007. The sows farrowed during this quarter represented 50 percent of the breeding herd. The average pigs saved per litter was a record high 9.61 for the March-May 2009 period, compared to 9.38 last year. Pigs saved per litter by size of operation ranged from 7.40 for operations with 1-99 hogs and pigs to 9.70 for operations with more than 5,000 hogs and pigs.