If you experienced some of the meat issues during the first months of Covid-19, the backlog of pig slaughter is catching up. At least the slaughter weights have returned to pre-pandemic levels.
Source: Swineweb.com, August 4, 2020. Link. The author references USDA weekly metrics and discusses the situation and production changes that contribute to normalization.
INSIGHTS: The report is good news. It does not reference the 60 percent reduction in slaughter capacity during May 2020, which undoubtedly caused euthanizing of hogs delayed in the supply chain. A May national media story put the number of hogs slated for euthanizing in the millions. Undocumented information from late July states the number may be between 1 million and 1.5 million. NPR estimated a similar number in late June.
Regardless of the final count, pork producers have absorbed large cost increases which must be included in the base costs of current pigs being processed for our food supply.”
Animal health pros working with swine DVMs and producers can help weather the expenses by helping maximize animal production through the life cycle and providing options to control costs.