Estimated Weekly Meat Production Under Federal Inspection

SJ_LS712
St Joseph, MO          Fri Mar 23, 2012          USDA Market News
Estimated Weekly Meat Production Under Federal Inspection

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     Total red meat production under Federal inspection for the week
ending Saturday, March 24, 2012 was estimated at 928.1 million lbs.
according to the U.S.Department of Agriculture's Marketing Service.
This was 2.0 percent lower than a week ago and 0.3 percent lower
than a year ago.  Cumulative meat production for the year to date was
1.5 percent lower compared to the previous year.

                        Meat Production (millions of pounds)
                             (excludes condemned)
Week Ending       Beef     Calf/Veal     Pork (2) Lamb/Mutton  Totals (3)
  24-Mar-12       477.7          2.5        444.8         3.1     928.1
  17-Mar-12       488.3          2.4        453.3         3.3     947.3
   Change:         -2.2%         4.2%        -1.9%       -6.1%     -2.0%
  26-Mar-11       485.0          2.7        439.9         3.1     930.7
   Change:         -1.5%        -7.4%         1.1%        0.0%     -0.3%
  2012 YTD       5728.5         27.7       5373.0        34.0   11163.2
  2011 YTD       5936.4         30.5       5335.2        32.2   11334.3
   Change:         -3.5%        -9.2%         0.7%        5.6%     -1.5%
(1)Previous week estimates may be revised. Year ago data are actuals.
(2) Excludes lard.      (3) Totals may not add due to rounding.
2012 totals are subject to revision
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Livestock Slaughter (head)
Week Ending   Cattle    Calves/Vealers     Hogs   Sheep/Lambs
  24-Mar-12     605,000       15,000    2,132,000      40,000
  17-Mar-12     619,000       15,000    2,174,000      43,000
   Change:         -2.3%         0.0%        -1.9%       -7.0%
  26-Mar-11     633,000       16,000    2,114,000      41,000
   Change:         -4.4%        -6.3%         0.9%       -2.4%
  2012 YTD    7,290,000      175,000   25,763,000     446,000
  2011 YTD    7,672,000      199,000   25,605,000     446,000
   Change:         -5.0%       -12.0%         0.6%        0.1%
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Average Weights (lbs)
Week Ending Live:          Cattle    Calves/Vealers    Hogs   Sheep/Lambs
  24-Mar-12   Estimate          1310          279         278       155
  17-Mar-12   Estimate          1309          276         278       154
  26-Mar-11     Actual          1273          290         278       148
            Dressed:
  24-Mar-12   Estimate           792          166         209        78
  17-Mar-12   Estimate           791          165         209        77
  26-Mar-11     Actual           769          173         208        74
------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Percentage of Total Cattle Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending    Steers      Heifers        Cows           Bulls
  10-Mar-12       48.0%        30.7%        19.7%        1.6%
  12-Mar-11       47.1%        32.6%        18.5%        1.8%

           Percentage of Total Hogs Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending Barrows & Gilts                 Sows                 Boars
  10-Mar-12       97.1%                      2.6%                  0.3%
  12-Mar-11       96.9%                      2.8%                  0.3%

*2011 slaughter totals adjusted to reflect NASS revisions
Source: USDA Market News, St Joseph, MO
        816-676-7000    e-mail stjoe.lgmn@ams.usda.gov
        www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/SJ_LS712.txt
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