Hog slaughter is running about 3.7 percent below last year, but live slaughter weights/carcass weights are up so the drop in pork production is only about 3 percent. Live weights are following their seasonal pattern of dropping during the hot summer weather but going into August and early September there could be more lighter-weight and fewer hogs marketed given weather forecasts – the opposite of cattle where drought has led to liquidation for the first half of the year.
The impact of drought and heat has been significant on the cattle market, but it is worth noting that hogs are more sensitive to heat than most species. It’s not always top of mind but the hog market can also be impacted by weather. Swine don’t perspi...
Key Market Insights The broad market is locked in on this week’s Trump-Xi meeting in Beijing, but this is no longer just a trade summit. Increasingly, the meeting is becoming tied directly to Iran, energy security, and the growing global economic fallout from disruptions through the Strai...
