The US inventory of all hogs and pigs on June 1 was about 73.7 million head, said the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service in its Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report Friday.
That was down slightly from June 1, 2025, and down slightly from March 1, 2026.
TOTAL INVENTORY DOWN
The USDA said the June 1 inventory was 73.664 million head, down 277,000, or 0.37%, from 73.941 million on March 1 and down 33,000, or 0.04%, from 73.697 million a year ago.
Breeding inventory, at 5.880 million head, was down 69,000, or 1.16%, from 5.949 million last year, and down 12,000, or 0.20%, from 5.892 million the previous quarter.
Market hog inventory, at 67.784 million head, was up 36,000, or 0.05%, from 67.748 million last year, but down 265,000, or 0.39%, from 68.049 million last quarter.
PIG CROP UP
The March-May 2026 pig crop, at 33.521 million head, was up 8,000, or 0.02%, from 33.513 million in the 2025 report and up 415,000, or 1.25%, from the December-February pig crop of 33.106 million head.
Sows farrowing during that period totaled 2.823 million head, down 29,000, or 1.02%, from 2.852 million in the 2025 report and up 40,000, or 1.44%, from the December-February quarter’s 2.783 million head. The sows farrowed during this quarter represented 48% of the breeding herd.
Producers said they expected to farrow 2.900 million sows in the June-August quarter, down 65,000, or 2.19%, from 2.965 million last year.
The average pigs saved per litter was 11.87 for the March-May period, compared with 11.75 last year and 11.90 in the previous quarter.
SMALL VARIATIONS IN MARKET HOG NUMBERS
There were small variations in the inventories of weight categories of market hogs. Those weighing less than 50 pounds numbered 21.106 million head, up 10,000, or 0.05%, from 21.096 million last year and up 255,000, or 1.22%, from 20.851 million last quarter.
Market hogs weighing 50 to 119 pounds totaled 19.071 million head, down 95,000, or 0.50%, from 19.166 million last year but up 393,000, or 2.10%, from 18.678 million last quarter.
Market hogs weighing 120 to 179 pounds came to 14.897 million head, up 72,000, or 0.49%, from 14.825 million last year but down 1.035 million, or 6.50%, from 15.932 million last quarter.
And those weighing 180 pounds or more totaled 12.710 million head, up 49,000 head, or 0.39%, from 12.661 million head a year ago and up 122,000, or 0.97%, from 12.588 million in the previous quarter.
CATTLE, BEEF RECAP
The USDA reported formula and contract base prices for live FOB steers and heifers this week ranged from $258.59 per cwt to $259.38, compared with last week’s range of $256.28 to $264.00 per cwt. FOB dressed steers and heifers went for $407.35 per cwt to $407.37, compared with $401.64 to $410.90.
The USDA choice cutout Tuesday was up $0.41 per cwt at $391.44 while select was up $2.60 at $374.18. The choice/select spread narrowed to $17.26, from $19.45 with 57 loads of fabricated product and 17 loads of trimmings and grinds sold into the spot market.
The USDA-listed the weighted average wholesale price for fresh 90% lean beef as $460.23 per cwt, and 50% beef was $177.64.
The USDA said basis bids for corn from feeders in the Southern Plains were unchanged at $1.23 to $1.43 a bushel over the Jul corn contract, which settled at $4.02 a bushel, down $0.10 3/4.
No live cattle contracts were tendered for delivery Monday.
The CME Feeder Cattle Index for the seven days ended Friday was $380.89 per cwt, down $0.97. This compares with Monday’s Aug contract settlement of $367.47, down $2.37.