This is according to the June report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), part of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
As of June 1, the total U.S. hog and pig inventory stood at 73.7 million head. This was just 0.04% lower than in June 2025 and 0.4% below the March 1, 2026 level, when the country had 73.9 million hogs and pigs.
Of the total inventory, 67.8 million head were market hogs intended for further production and slaughter, while 5.88 million head were kept for breeding purposes.
Between March and May 2026, U.S. pig farms weaned 33.5 million piglets, slightly more than during the same period last year.
The average number of pigs weaned per litter increased by 1%, from 11.75 to 11.87 head. Improved productivity is partly offsetting the continued decline in the breeding herd.
According to producers’ intentions, around 2.90 million sows are expected to farrow between June and August 2026, while another 2.89 million sows are expected to farrow between September and November.
The largest swine inventory remains concentrated in Iowa, with 24.7 million head. Minnesota ranks second with 9.3 million head, followed by North Carolina, where 7.2 million hogs and pigs are kept.
Overall, USDA data point to stability in the U.S. swine sector. Despite the decline in the breeding herd, higher productivity and a slight increase in market hog numbers have kept the total inventory close to last year’s level.
PigUA.info, based on materials from 3tres3.com