U-S hog producers may be shipping their hogs to market faster to cash in on higher prices.
The University of Missouri's Ron Plain reports 2 point 128 million head were slaughtered in the U-S last week.
That's up almost 1 per cent from the previous week, 6.5 per cent more than a year ago.
But Plain says the average slaughter weight was down over 5 pounds from a year ago - the seventh straight week with weights lighter than last year.
Last week was also the seventh straight week with higher U-S hog prices.
The average negotiated carcass price of $79.39 a hundred was $1.88 higher than the previous week.
The average negotiated U-S barrow and gilt purchase price last week was $80.05 per hundred.
That's up $3.66 from the week before.
