Lower dressed weights trim the first quarter of pork production in the US

Published 2023년 3월 16일

Tridge summary

U.S. pork processors harvested a slight increase in hogs in February 2023 compared to the previous year, but produced less pork due to lighter dressed weights. The number of federally inspected hogs slaughtered rose by 0.4% from February 2022, totaling 9.9 million. However, estimated FI pork production decreased by 0.2% from the year before, reaching 2.16 billion pounds. This decrease is attributed to a drop in dressed weights, which were down nearly 1.4 pounds from February 2022. Factors such as increased feed costs, disease losses, and fluctuating consumer demand have influenced producers to market animals earlier. Additionally, the surge of the PRRS Lineage 1C RFLP 1-2-4 strain in 2022 may have contributed to the decrease in dressed weights. As a result, first quarter pork production estimates have been lowered, with an expected production of 27.4 billion pounds in 2023, a 1.5% increase from the previous year.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

U.S. pork processors harvested fractionally more hogs last month than in February 2022, but overall produced less pork. Federally inspected hog slaughter for February 2023 was 0.4% higher than a year ago, at 9.9 million head; while estimated FI pork production, at 2.16 billion pounds, was down 0.2% from the year prior. According to the USDA Economic Research Service's Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook for March 2023, the contributing variable for these figures was dressed weights, with February 2023 weights down nearly 1.4 pounds from February 2022. "While average dressed weights began 2023 at above year-earlier weights, they have trended lower since," states USDA ERS Agricultural Economist Mildred Haley. "Among the most important variables driving producers to market animals earlier are feed costs, disease losses and uncertainty about the continued strength of consumer pork demand." Prior to COVID (2017-2019), feed costs were relatively moderate, with farm corn prices ...

Source: NationalHogFarmer