Estimated Weekly Meat Production Under Federal Inspection

SJ_LS712
St Joseph, MO          Fri Mar 22, 2013          USDA Market News
Estimated Weekly Meat Production Under Federal Inspection

     Total red meat production under Federal inspection for the week
ending Saturday, March 23, 2013 was estimated at 934.1 million lbs.
according to the U.S.Department of Agriculture's Marketing Service.
This was 1.1 percent lower than a week ago and 1.1 percent higher
than a year ago.  Cumulative meat production for the year to date was
2.2 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)
  23-Mar-13       476.9          2.1        451.7         3.4     934.1
  16-Mar-13       482.3          2.2        457.0         3.1     944.6
   Change:         -1.1%        -4.5%        -1.2%        9.7%     -1.1%
  24-Mar-12       473.6          2.2        445.4         3.1     924.3
   Change:          0.7%        -4.5%         1.4%        9.7%      1.1%
  2013 YTD       5577.2         26.0       5284.8        32.8   10920.8
  2012 YTD       5724.3         27.2       5375.9        34.0   11161.4
   Change:         -2.6%        -4.4%        -1.7%       -3.5%     -2.2%
(1)Previous week estimates may be revised. Year ago data are actuals.
(2) Excludes lard.      (3) Totals may not add due to rounding.
2013 totals are subject to revision
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Livestock Slaughter (head)
Week Ending   Cattle    Calves/Vealers     Hogs   Sheep/Lambs
  23-Mar-13     601,000       15,000    2,176,000      46,000
  16-Mar-13     606,000       15,000    2,203,000      43,000
   Change:         -0.8%         0.0%        -1.2%        7.0%
  24-Mar-12     603,000       13,000    2,132,000      40,000
   Change:         -0.3%        15.4%         2.1%       15.0%
  2013 YTD    7,041,000      177,000   25,476,000     454,000
  2012 YTD    7,287,000      171,000   25,768,000     446,000
   Change:         -3.4%         3.6%        -1.1%        1.8%
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Average Weights (lbs)
Week Ending Live:          Cattle    Calves/Vealers    Hogs   Sheep/Lambs
  23-Mar-13   Estimate          1319          247         277       146
  16-Mar-13   Estimate          1321          254         277       146
  24-Mar-12     Actual          1297          282         279       152
            Dressed:
  23-Mar-13   Estimate           796          144         208        73
  16-Mar-13   Estimate           798          148         207        73
  24-Mar-12     Actual           787          168         209        76
------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Percentage of Total Cattle Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending    Steers      Heifers        Cows           Bulls
  09-Mar-13       48.1%        29.7%        20.7%        1.6%
  10-Mar-12       48.0%        30.7%        19.7%        1.6%

           Percentage of Total Hogs Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending Barrows & Gilts                 Sows                 Boars
  09-Mar-13       97.1%                      2.6%                  0.3%
  10-Mar-12       97.1%                      2.6%                  0.3%

*2012 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
        www.ams.usda.gov/LPSMarketNewsPage

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