Impact of PEDV shows up in US hog inventories, pigs per litter

The effects of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDV) in theUnited States are beginning to show up in the U.S. hog inventories and pigs perlitter figures. The USDA Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report, released on December27, 2013, shows several signs that PEDV has disrupted hog production in theUnited States, USDA livestock analyst Shayle Shagam said.

The effects of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDV) in the United States are beginning to show up in the U.S. hog inventories and pigs per litter figures. The USDA Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report, released on December 27, 2013, shows several signs that PEDV has disrupted hog production in the United States, USDA livestock analyst Shayle Shagam said.

The virus, which has no known cure, first appeared in the United States during the spring months of 2013. It can have as much as a 100 percent mortality rate in piglets, therefore its effects are beginning to show up in the data around U.S. hog inventories.

Inventory of all hogs and pigs on December 1, 2013, was 65.9 million head, a 1 percent decrease from December 1, 2012, and a 2 percent decrease from the U.S. hog inventories reported on September 1, 2013.

Pigs per litter for the quarter from September to November reached 10.16, surpassing the 10.15 standard set during the similar quarter of 2012, but Shagam said the decrease in pigs per litter during the summer and fall months were down.

"Historically, the pigs per litter is either unchanged or up slightly, whereas this year we are down fairly sharply between the two quarters, which would indicate the rate of expansion in pigs per litter was significantly tempered, likely by the virus," Shagam said during a USDA broadcast.

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