Steer & Heifer Estimated Grading Percent Report

NW_LS196
Des Moines, Iowa              Mon May 21, 2012              USDA Market News

USDA NATIONAL STEER & HEIFER ESTIMATED GRADING PERCENT REPORT
  For Week Ending:      5/5/2012


National, Regional, and State Breakdown of Official USDA Quality Grades.
Percentages derived from each category numerical total, divided by the total
number offered for USDA quality grading in each corresponding area.

              National     Region     Region     Region     Region
                              1-5           6       7-8       9-10
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Prime             3.42%      8.69%      1.43%      3.16%      4.48%
Choice           61.90%     67.34%     53.69%     63.56%     64.72%
Select           29.38%     16.50%     38.82%     28.38%     27.06%
Other             5.30%      7.48%      6.05%      4.90%      3.73%
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              Nebraska     Kansas      Texas
---------------------------------------------
Prime             4.23%      1.72%      1.42%
Choice           67.42%     61.66%     54.04%
Select           22.93%     33.27%     38.87%
Other             5.41%      3.35%      5.67%
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National USDA Certified Beef Program Information
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percentage of the Choice Grade USDA Certified in the Upper 2/3rd:       24.42%
Percentage of cattle offered under Schedule GLA identified:             61.24%
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NATIONAL AND REGIONAL BREAKDOWN BY CLASS

Region           Total      Steer     Heifer      Dairy      Other      Bulls
                                                    Cow        Cow
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Region 1-5       16.59%      6.51%      1.21%      4.32%      3.75%      0.80%
Region 6         21.21%     10.37%      6.86%      1.21%      2.39%      0.38%
Region 7-8       51.63%     28.63%     19.89%      0.33%      2.49%      0.29%
Region 9-10      10.57%      5.58%      1.16%      3.01%      0.65%      0.16%
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total %         100.00%     51.08%     29.12%      8.88%      9.28%      1.63%
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Total Head     627,000    320,300    182,600     55,700     58,200     10,200
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
States included in regions are as follows:  1- CT, ME, NH, VT, MA, & RI; 2-
NY & NJ; 3- DE, MD, PA, WV, & VA; 4- AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, & TN; 5- IL,
IN, MI, MN, OH, & WI; 6- AR, LA, NM, OK, & TX; 7- IA, KS, MO, & NE; 8- CO,
MT, ND, SD, UT, & WY; 9- AZ, CA, HI & NV; 10- AK, ID, OR, & WA.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: USDA Market News Service, Des Moines, IA
        Bill Worlie/Britni Taylor  515-284-4460  Desm.LGMN@ams.usda.gov
        24 Hour recorded market information 515-284-4830
        www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/NW_LS196.txt
        www.ams.usda.gov/LSMarketNews


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