Trading was quiet in the US animal protein market on Thursday September 26, with no price changes reported.

Largest September herd since 2020; breeding herd down
Total US hog inventory was 76.48 million head as of September 1, up by 1.67% from 75.22 million head in July and up by 0.46% year on year, according to the USDA’s Hogs and Pigs quarterly report released on Thursday September 26.

The hog headcount is the highest in a September report since 2020.
 
This September’s year-on-year increase in hog inventory can be attributed to a slight uptick in the pig crop during December 2023-May 2024 and to a boost in the number of pigs saved per litter.

The headcount of weighted pigs under 120 lb in June-August was down by 621,000 head from the corresponding period in 2023.

Meanwhile, the headcounts of weighted pigs in the range of 120-179 lb and over 180 lb came in higher than expected.

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