The U.S. pig population has declined slightly.

According to the latest quarterly Hogs and Piglets report published by the U.S.  Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the total hog and piglet population in the United States was 74.5 million as of March 1, 2025. This figure is down slightly from March 2024 and 1% from December of the same year.

United States: Census and Production

Of the 74.5 million animals counted, 68.5 million are commercial pigs and 5.98 million are kept for breeding purposes.

Between December 2024 and February 2025, 33.7 million piglets were weaned, slightly lower than the same period the previous year. The average number of piglets per litter was 11.65.

U.S. cattle producers expect 2.91 million litters to be born between March and May and 2.96 million between June and August, indicating stability in herd replacement plans.

Iowa leads in hog census

Iowa still leads the nation in hog production with 24.3 million head, followed by Minnesota (9.2 million) and North Carolina (8.1 million).

To prepare this report, NASS collected data from 4,455 producers nationwide during the first half of March using online forms, mail, and telephone and in-person interviews.