Experts: US sow herd needs more reductions

27-07-2009 | |

Pork industry experts from the University of Missouri have announced that more cuts in the US’ sow herd are necessary to solve the current problems in the industry.

In their online outlook, Prof Em Glenn Grimes and Prof Ron Plain said that “two pork producers have announced a reduction of 47,000 sows over the next several weeks. Smithfield says they will sell 27,000 sows that are in the Texas Panhandle. Tyson is liquidating 20,000 sows from Arkansas and Missouri.”©

Additional percentage

The two said that on top of that, ‘an additional 7-10%’ from the June level is necessary, as production growth over the last years was 2-3%. “These 47,000 sows amount to 0.78% of the current breeding herd,” they said.

“As we have stated many times it is difficult to reduce the sow herd with the high investment per sow most producers have and the hog enterprise as important is it is in most operations,” they added.©

Related websites:
University of Missouri
Tyson
Smithfield

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