US hog slaughter up in 2011

U.S. commercial hog slaughter totaled 110.9 million head in 2011, 1 percent higher than 2010 with 99.2 percent of the hogs slaughtered under federal inspection, according to data from thelatest U.S. Department of Agriculture report.

The average live weight in 2011 was up 3 pounds from 2010 at 275 pounds. Total pig meat production for 2011 came in at 22.599 billion pounds, compared to 2010's 22.275 billion pounds. Barrows and gilts comprised 96.9 percent of the total federally inspected hog slaughter.

Pig meat production in March 2012 totaled 1.99 billion pounds, down 3 percent from 2011 numbers, according to the USDA. Hog slaughter totaled 9.52 million head, down 4 percent from March 2011. The average live weight was up 1 pound from 2011 numbers, at 279 pounds.