Minor Expansion in US Hog Herd Confirmed

Mar 30, 2023

As expected, the USDA’s latest quarterly hogs and pigs report confirmed some minor expansion in the US hog herd.

Released Thursday, the report pegged the total US inventory of all hogs and pigs as of March at 72.86 million head, up about 0.2% from 72.68 million on the same date last year. Pre-report expectations were for a slightly more aggressive year-over-year increase of 0.3%.

The March 1 breeding inventory, at 6.13 million head was up roughly 0.5% on the year, compared to trade ideas of 0.6%. The number of market hogs came in at 66.73 million, an increase of about 0.2% from 66.59 million a year ago, but still also slightly below expectations.

The December 2022-February 2023 pig crop, at 32.1 million head, was up slightly from last year. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 2.91 million head, down slightly from previous year. The average pigs saved per litter was 11.02 for the December 2022-February 2023 period, compared to 10.95 last year.

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Video: What Does 20 MILLION Hogs a Year Look Like?

?? The Multi-Plant System Processing 20 Million Hogs Annually in the Midwest JBS USA operates multiple large-scale pork processing facilities across the Midwest, including major plants in Iowa, Minnesota, and Indiana. Combined, these facilities have the capacity to process approximately 20 million hogs annually.

Each plant operates high-speed automated slaughter systems capable of processing up to 20,000 head per day, followed by fabrication lines that break carcasses into primals, sub-primals, and case-ready retail products.

Hog procurement is coordinated through electronic marketing platforms that connect regional contract finishing operations and independent producers to plant demand schedules. This digital procurement system allows for steady supply flow and scheduling efficiency across multiple facilities.

Processing plants incorporate comprehensive food safety systems, including pathogen intervention technologies, rapid chilling processes, and integrated cold-chain management. USDA inspection is embedded throughout the harvest and fabrication stages to ensure regulatory compliance and product integrity. Finished pork products — from bulk primals to retail-ready packaged cuts — are distributed through coordinated logistics networks serving domestic and export markets.