Mt An 4 (1-02) Monthly Hogs and Pigs National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released January 25, 2002, 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, office hours 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. December Pig Crop Up 3 Percent The December 2001 U.S. pig crop at 8.07 million head, was 3 percent more than the previous year. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 917 thousand head, 2 percent above last year. The average pigs per litter for December rose to 8.80, compared to 8.66 last year. The U.S. inventory of sows and gilts on January 1, 2002, was 6.02 million head, slightly below January 1, 2001. U.S. sows and gilts bred during December totaled 1.19 million head, up slightly from the previous year. Special Note Monthly farrowing and pig crop estimates are preliminary and may be revised in the Quarterly Hogs and Pigs Reports. Various factors can require revisions, such as sample variability, difference in reporting time-frame (monthly vs. quarterly), and pre-weaning and post-weaning death loss. Please refer to the Revision Policy on Page 3 of this report for more information. Monthly Farrowings: Number of Sows, Pigs per Litter, and Pig Crop, United States December-November 2001-2002 1/ 2/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Sows Farrowing : Pigs per Litter : Pig Crop Month :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2001 : 2002 : 2001 : 2002 : 2001 : 2002 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --- 1,000 Head -- ---- Number ---- --- 1,000 Head --- : Dec 1/ : 901 917 8.66 8.80 7,803 8,069 Jan : 906 8.71 7,887 Feb : 941 8.79 8,273 Mar : 958 8.88 8,503 Apr : 954 8.89 8,481 May : 958 8.90 8,525 Jun : 953 8.80 8,386 Jul : 931 8.81 8,205 Aug : 954 8.84 8,438 Sep : 966 8.75 8,448 Oct : 950 8.78 8,344 Nov : 930 8.80 8,180 : Total : 11,302 8.80 99,473 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 2001-2002 1/ 2/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Inventory 1st of Month : Bred during Month :-----------------------------------:----------------------------------- : : 2002 : : 2002 Month : :-----------------------: :----------------------- : 2001 : : as % of : 2001 : : as % of : : Number : 2001 : : Number : 2001 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --- 1,000 Head -- Percent --- 1,000 Head -- Percent : Dec 2/ : 6,090 6,031 99 1,185 1,189 100 Jan : 6,030 6,022 100 1,169 Feb : 6,031 1,142 Mar : 6,053 1,200 Apr : 5,987 1,170 May : 5,974 1,165 Jun : 6,001 1,197 Jul : 5,955 1,155 Aug : 5,955 1,133 Sep : 5,975 1,171 Oct : 5,990 1,197 Nov : 5,968 1,191 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Data series beginning October 2000. 2/ December preceding year. Survey Procedures: A random sample of 3,000 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 22, 2002. 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