The U.S. inventory of hogs and pigs on 1 March totaled 74.3 million head, 102 percent of last year. However, it was down slightly from 74.6 million head on 1 December, which was a record for the quarter.
Sows kept for breeding totaled 6.35 million head, 102 percent of last year and up slightly from 6.33 million head on 1 December, and sows farrowed during the quarter were 49 percent of the breeding herd. Producers intend to have 3.12 million sows farrow during the March-May 2019 quarter, a 1 percent increase from the actual farrowings during the same period in 2018 and up 3 percent from 2017. The December-February pig crop of 33.0 million head was 102 percent of last year. Pigs saved per litter were 10.70, up from 10.58 in the prior yea...
What You Need to Know Today: Russia rejected calls for a ceasefire in the Black Sea, including a proposal to halt attacks on civilian shipping that could help restore grain flows from Ukrainian ports. Tyson Foods announced plans to permanently close its Joslin, Illinois, beef processing facili...
The big news in the cattle markets yesterday was Tyson Foods’ move to close two more beef plants. One of them, the Joslin, Illinois, plant was shuttered immediately after the announcement. The other, in Eagle Mountain, Utah, is a case-ready plant that does not slaughter cattle. Tyson also...
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) on Wednesday. In July, the CPI rose 0.1 percent, seasonally adjusted, and rose 3.4 percent over the last 12 months, not seasonally adjusted. The index for all items less food and energy, or the “core” infla...