Lean Hog Futures Trading Higher

October lean hogs are trading at 61.55, up 0.55 cents /lb. December lean hogs are trading at 55.87, up 0.40 cents/lb. February lean hogs are trading at 60.37, up 0.32 cents/lb. Lean hog futures are trading higher just after the open. Market chatter about exports, consumer demand and cash prices is making the rounds. Market talk that cash hogs prices remain soft continues to bring in sellers on rallies. Trading is choppy. Thursday's USDA hog slaughter was 436,000 head. The total for the week is now 1.286 million head, down from 1.730 million last week at this time and down from 1.305 million a year ago. U.S. pork production for the week ending August 27th was 469.5 million pounds, down from 474.7 million pounds the previous week and up 1.2 percent versus a year ago.