date:Jun 22, 2012
ng to less than 2.8M head.
The sow herd tumbled by nearly 14% to 32,200 head, as producers grappled with rising input costs and prices below 2009 levels.
Ashworth predicted it would be another year before increased confidence was reflected in rising breeding stock populations.
In the throes of a weak economy generally the processing sector struggled to pass on the increased cost of sourcing livestock,said Ashworth.While strong demand for beef and pork facilitated an upwards movement in retail