Mt An 4 (1-01) Monthly Hogs and Pigs National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released January 26, 2001, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on "Monthly Hogs and Pigs" call Rodger Ott at 202-720-3106, or Greg Bussler at 202-720-4448, office hours 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. December Pig Crop Up 3 Percent The December 2000 U.S. pig crop at 8.35 million head, was 3 percent more than the previous year. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 940 thousand head, 2 percent above last year. The average pigs per litter rose to 8.89 pigs saved per litter for December, compared to 8.77 pigs last year. The U.S. inventory of sows and gilts totaled 6.03 million head on January 1, 2001. U.S. sows and gilts bred during the month of December totaled 1.19 million head. Monthly Farrowings: Number of Sows, Pigs per Litter, and Pig Crop, United States December-November 2000-2001 1/ 2/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Sows Farrowing : Pigs per Litter : Pig Crop Month :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2000 : 2001 : 2000 : 2001 : 2000 : 2001 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --- 1,000 Head -- ---- Number ---- --- 1,000 Head --- : Dec 1/ : 922 940 8.77 8.89 8,091 8,354 Jan : 911 8.76 7,977 Feb : 965 8.76 8,454 Mar : 974 8.87 8,647 Apr : 959 8.84 8,484 May : 956 8.87 8,479 Jun : 975 8.85 8,626 Jul : 944 8.87 8,370 Aug : 980 8.87 8,690 Sep : 996 8.87 8,835 Oct : 947 8.90 8,428 Nov : 932 8.88 8,274 : Total : 11,462 8.84 101,355 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ December preceding year. 2/ Monthly values may not add to quarterly or annual totals due to rounding. Monthly Sows and Gilts: Inventory and Number Bred, United States December-November 2000-2001 1/ 2/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Inventory 1st of Month : Bred during Month :-----------------------------------:----------------------------------- : : 2001 : : 2001 Month : :-----------------------: :----------------------- : 2000 : : as % of : 2000 : : as % of : : Number : 2000 : : Number : 2000 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --- 1,000 Head -- Percent --- 1,000 Head -- Percent : Dec 2/ : 6,095 1,185 Jan : 6,030 Feb : Mar : Apr : May : Jun : Jul : Aug : Sep : 1,234 Oct : 6,072 1,183 Nov : 6,055 1,168 : Total : -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Data series beginning October 2000. 2/ December preceding year. Survey Procedures: A random sample of 3,100 U.S. producers from contractors to independent producers were used to provide data for these estimates. Survey procedures ensured that all breeding and farrowing operations, regardless of size, had a chance to be included in the survey. Large producers were sampled more heavily than small operations. Data were collected during the first-half of the month by mail, telephone, and face-to-face personal interviews. Operations were asked to provide information on sow and gilt inventories as of the first of the month, sows and gilts bred during the previous month, sows and gilts farrowed during the previous month, and the pig crop from these litters. Revision Policy: Revisions to previous monthly estimates are made during the quarterly report. These revisions are to improve month to month, and quarter to quarter relationships. In December, estimates for all months and quarters of the current and previous year are reviewed. The reviews are primarily based on hog check-off receipts and slaughter. Estimates will also be reviewed after data from the Department of Agriculture five-year Census of Agriculture are available. No revisions will be made after that date. Reliability: Since all operations with sow and gilt inventory are not included in the sample, survey estimates are subject to sampling variability. Survey results are also subject to non-sampling errors such as omissions, duplication, and mistakes in reporting, recording, and processing the data. The affects of these errors cannot be measured directly. They are minimized through rigid quality controls in the data collection process and through a careful review of all reported data for consistency and reasonableness. The next "Monthly Hogs and Pigs" report will be released at 3 p.m. ET on February 23, 2001. 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