U.S. hog inventory edges up; pigs per litter hit record for the quarter, NASS says

Travis Averil, chief of the Livestock Branch at the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), presented the June 2025 Hogs and Pigs report to the Agricultural Statistics Board webcast, citing modest year-over-year changes in the national inventory and a record productivity metric for the March–May quarter.

At the June 1 reference date, NASS estimated all hogs and pigs at 75.1 million head, an increase of about 0.3 percent from a year earlier. Breeding hogs were estimated at 5,979,000 head (down roughly 0.5 percent), while market hogs were estimated at 69.2 million head (up about 0.4 percent). NASS listed Iowa, Minnesota, North Carolina, Illinois and Indiana as the five largest states; the agency noted record-high inventories in Iowa and Pennsylvania.

The March–May 2025 pig crop was reported at 33,171,000 head, up 1.3 percent from the prior year. NASS also reported pigs weaned per litter at 11.75 for that quarter, up from 11.56 a year earlier; NASS characterized the March–May pigs-per-litter rate as a record for that quarter. "The pig crop and litter rate are important measures of productivity that factor into supply expectations," Averil said during the briefing.

NASS reviewed recent revisions to its series. Using final slaughter, death-loss and updated trade data, the agency reported a net revision to the December 1, 2024 all-hogs-and-pigs estimate of -1 percent and a March 1, 2025 net revision of about +0.3 percent. Averil said NASS compares its first and final ASB estimates against trade ranges and noted that six of the last 12 quarters' ASB final estimates were within trade expectations.

The report also broke out market hogs by weight groups: under 50 pounds at about 21.5 million head (up ~1.2% year-over-year); 50–119 pounds at about 19.4 million (up ~0.1%); 120–179 pounds at about 15.3 million (up ~0.5%); and 180 pounds and over at about 12.9 million (down ~0.6%).

NASS presented same‑quarter farrowing figures and intentions series: March–May 2025 same‑quarter farrowings at roughly 2,970,000 head (down about 13,000 year‑over‑year), second‑intentions for June–August 2025 at 2,974,000 head (slightly below the prior year's actuals) and the first‑intentions series for September–November 2025 at about 2,946,000 head. The agency placed these series on charts alongside trade ranges to illustrate where estimates fell relative to market expectations.

On trade and imports, NASS said Canadian feeder pig and slaughter hog imports for the second quarter of 2025 totaled about 1,682,000 head, a 4.1 percent decline from 2024; feeder pigs comprised an estimated 76 percent (about 1,278,000 head) of that total, up 2.4 percent year‑over‑year, while slaughter hog imports were about 403,000 head, down roughly 20 percent.

A price chart accompanying the briefing compared 10‑year trends for hog and corn prices (most recent data through April); NASS reminded attendees that May price series would be released in the Agricultural Prices report the following day. Averil closed by listing upcoming NASS releases through July (acreage, grain and rice stocks, crop production on July 11, and multiple livestock and production reports on July 24–25) and directing users to the NASS website for full tables and downloadable data.

The briefing opened with a reminder from Lance Honig, chair of the Agricultural Statistics Board, that Office of Management and Budget guidance restricts policy officials from commenting within 30 minutes of report release and that attendees should consult the published official estimates if discrepancies arise. Dr. Cindy Nickerson, USDA deputy chief economist, attended the session as secretary designate. NASS staff offered follow‑up by phone or email.