The U.S. hog herd isn’t expanding, but a livestock economist says it isn’t contracting significantly either.
University of Missouri’s Scott Brown says the report, overall, is sideways. “When you look producers’ expectations about sows farrowed, June through November, we’re also talking about that being down roughly 2%,” he says. “So I don’t see any expansion, and a lot more sideways movement, I guess in terms of hog slaughter as we look into 2023.”
He tells Brownfield while contraction has slowed, any future expansion will likely be impacted by outside factors.
