Hog Slaughter Continues to Fall

Last week’s hog slaughter finished at an estimated 1.99 million head, down 15.4 percent from last year’s levels and down 1.8 percent from the week prior. Slaughter this week is again forecast lower from the week prior at 1.95 million head. Slaughter is forecast to start to increase the first full week of May, but the next six weeks are still expected to be lower. Slaughter of the next six weeks is forecast at an average of 2.22 million head per week, down 4 percent compared to the same time period is 2019 and down 9.6 percent from the prior six weeks. With COVID cases continuing to shut down both meat packing plants as well as meat processing plants, the alarm bells are starting to ring on the meat supply chain. There are reports of COVID cases amongst plant employees at 44 percent or 11 of the top 28 packing facilities in the US and six…