DES MOINES (AP) — Iowa has 16.9 million hogs — its highest number in 51 years, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The USDA released a report Friday showing Iowa’s hog population in September has increased about 2 percent from a year ago and more than 2 percent from June 1.

Iowa hasn’t had this many pigs since September 1955, when it had 17.2 million. The latest hog count is Iowa’s third largest since estimates began in 1866.

Nationally there are 62.7 million hogs — a 1 percent increase from last year, according to the report.

Meanwhile, Iowa hog producers appear headed for a record number of consecutive months of profit. January 2004 was the last month Iowa hog producers lost money, according to statistics from the Iowa State University Extension. Analysts predict hog operations to stay profitable at least through June 2007, which would set the record.

“As long as corn prices don’t get too out of hand and feeder pigs don’t get too expensive, producers should be profitable through this year,” said Shane Ellis, an Iowa State Extension economist.

Farrow-to-finish hog producers in Iowa have had a profitable 10 years, Iowa State statistics show, with average returns for the last 10 years of $2.50 for each hog sold.

Len Steiner, president of Steiner & Co. in Manchester, N.H., said the pork export market will be a key to hog prices.

The U.S. dollar’s value has dropped in relation to the Euro, Steiner said, making U.S. pork prices more competitive.

“If exports continue to grow, and we think they will, that will be supportive to prices,” he said.

Also, as poultry supplies will decrease the prices will increase, meaning less competition for pork, Steiner said.

Glenn Grimes, a livestock marketing economist at the University of Missouri in Columbia, said that hog producers aren’t expanding their operations despite prolonged profits. The cost of building facilities is high, and getting permits continues to be a slow process, Grimes said.

———

Information from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com