Illinois hog numbers are mixed

Posted on December 27, 2018
State statistician Mark Schleusener says the hog inventory is down in Illinois but up nationally. (Pixaby)

 

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – Hog numbers in Illinois are varied according to the state’s statistician.

The USDA says the quarterly numbers, as of Dec. 1, are 5.3 million, down a little.

But breeding hogs are up six percent from a year ago. State statistician Mark Schleusener says breeding includes moms and dads.

“Artificial insemination is very, very common in the hog industry,” says Schleusener. “Many times, what’s happening is there are boars that are used to produce the semen that’s used to inject into the sows. They produce ten, twelve hogs per litter. The overall average for the September-through-November period is 10.76 pigs per litter, and that is a record high. Almost eleven pigs per litter.”

Schleusener says market hogs born here do not always stay here.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]

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