USDA Releases September 2024 Hogs and Pigs Report: Key Takeaways for the Swine Industry

Sep 30, 2024

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has published its latest Hogs and Pigs report for September 2024, providing critical data on inventory levels and key production trends in the swine industry. The following are the main highlights of the report:

Inventory Overview

The total inventory of hogs and pigs in the United States as of September 1, 2024, was 74.8 million head, reflecting a slight decrease of 1% compared to the same period last year.
The breeding inventory was reported at 6.13 million head, also down 1% from the previous year.
Market hog inventory reached 68.7 million head, down 1% from 2023.

Breeding and Farrowing Intentions

The report indicates that the number of sows farrowing during the June-August 2024 period totaled 2.92 million head, which was 2% below the same period a year earlier.
The number of pigs saved per litter was reported at an average of 11.3, relatively unchanged from the previous year.

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Video: What Drives Profitability in Farrowing? - Dr. Daniel Gascho

In this special episode of The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, marking World Veterinary Day, we welcome Dr. Daniel Gascho, swine production veterinarian and partner at Four Star Veterinary Service. He discusses how farrowing decisions must align with each farm's business model, why labor execution defines protocol outcomes, and how PRRS strategies should be tailored to each operation's health status and market position. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Protocols are only as strong as the labor that executes them, and that final step is what separates a plan on paper from results in the barn."

Meet the guest: Dr. Daniel Gascho / daniel-gascho-4a1bbb242 is a swine production medicine veterinarian and partner at Four Star Veterinary Service, based in Indiana. He focuses on individualized health strategies, vaccination planning, biosecurity, and practical protocol implementation across farrowing, nursery, and grow-finish systems.