# U.S. livestock: Hog slaughter hits five-month low on Omicron spread - AgCanada

> US pig slaughter fell to 433,000 head on January 12, a five-month low, as Omicron infections disrupted meat plants. USDA trimmed its 2021 and 2022 pork production estimates. CME February hogs rebounded slightly from a one-month low, while cattle futures fell on staffing shortages.

- Date: 2022-01-13 · published 2022-01-13T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: disease · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/43289-u-s-livestock-hog-slaughter-hits-five-month-low-on-omicron-spread-agcanada
- Commodities: [Lean Hogs](https://feedsoft.ai/c/HOGS.md), [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md), [Feeder Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/FCATTLE.md)

## Why it matters

Reduced slaughter tightens near-term pork and beef supply, supporting hog prices and weighing on cattle demand for feed. Processing disruptions are a key driver of price volatility.

## Read by commodity

- HOGS: bullish ▲
- FCATTLE: bearish ▼
- LCATTLE: bearish ▼

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| HOGS | 2026-03-16 | [South Korea on highest alert as 3 major livestock diseases spread nationwide \| The Straits Times](https://feedsoft.ai/events/15924-south-korea-on-highest-alert-as-3-major-livestock-diseases-spread-nationwide.md) | -1.0% | -2.2% |
| HOGS | 2018-08-27 | [Fever or trade talk briefly ignite U.S. hog market \| Western Livestock Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/63676-fever-or-trade-talk-briefly-ignite-u-s-hog-market-western-livestock-journal.md) | -3.6% | +17.2% |
| HOGS | 2026-03-16 | [Korea on highest alert as simultaneous livestock epidemics spread nationwide - The Korea Herald](https://feedsoft.ai/events/15922-korea-on-highest-alert-as-simultaneous-livestock-epidemics-spread-nationwide.md) | -1.0% | -2.2% |
| HOGS | 2019-04-18 | [U.S. livestock: Deferred hog futures set contract highs for fourth day - Country Guide](https://feedsoft.ai/events/5961-u-s-livestock-deferred-hog-futures-set-contract-highs-for-fourth-day-country.md) | +1.7% | +3.3% |
| HOGS | 2020-02-20 | [U.S. livestock: Hogs weaken on profit taking, cattle mixed - Manitoba Co-operator](https://feedsoft.ai/events/12066-u-s-livestock-hogs-weaken-on-profit-taking-cattle-mixed-manitoba-co-operator.md) | -1.3% | -4.9% |
| LCATTLE | 2020-04-02 | [U.S. livestock: Hog futures drop to 3-1/2 year low - Grainews](https://feedsoft.ai/events/6598-u-s-livestock-hog-futures-drop-to-3-1-2-year-low-grainews.md) | -5.8% | -13.4% |
| LCATTLE | 2025-08-08 | [U.S. livestock: Cattle futures fall hard, hogs mixed - Grainews](https://feedsoft.ai/events/12276-u-s-livestock-cattle-futures-fall-hard-hogs-mixed-grainews.md) | -1.4% | -0.3% |
| LCATTLE | 2020-04-07 | [Downturn hits livestock markets \| News \| wyomingnews.com](https://feedsoft.ai/events/7268-downturn-hits-livestock-markets-news-wyomingnews-com.md) | +2.8% | -4.3% |

## Sources

- agcanada.com: https://www.agcanada.com/daily/u-s-livestock-hog-slaughter-hits-five-month-low-on-omicron-spread

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.