The University of Missouri's Ron Plain says the peak in U-S hog prices could come early this year.
It usually happens early summer.
But Plain points out slaughter has been running under what had been implied in the March Hogs and Pigs report.
He warns if those marketings turn out to be delayed marketings, summer hog slaughter may be heavier than expected and prices lower than hoped for.
U-S hog slaughter last week was up 3 point 2 per cent from the week before and up over 17 per cent from the same week a year ago.
However, that 2015 week included the Memorial Day Holiday.
The national U-S negotiation barrow and gilt price Friday was down $2.76 from the week before and almost 6 dollars from a year ago.
Here in Ontario, the average weekly price for the week ending May 21st was 208.87 - up 8 point 1 per cent from a year ago.
Live hog exports to the U-S so far this year are up 8 point 4 per cent from last year - feeders up 13 per cent, barrows, gilts and sows down almost 8 per cent.
Ontario hog slaughter so far this year is up 3 point 2 per cent from a year ago.
National hog slaughter is up 2 point 7 per cent.
