Estimated Weekly Meat Production Under Federal Inspection

SJ_LS712
St Joseph, MO          Fri Mar 15, 2013          USDA Market News
Estimated Weekly Meat Production Under Federal Inspection

     Total red meat production under Federal inspection for the week
ending Saturday, March 16, 2013 was estimated at 944.6 million lbs.
according to the U.S.Department of Agriculture's Marketing Service.
This was 0.9 percent higher than a week ago and 0.5 percent lower
than a year ago.  Cumulative meat production for the year to date was
2.4 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)
  16-Mar-13       482.3          2.2        457.0         3.1     944.6
  09-Mar-13       474.9          2.3        455.8         3.0     936.0
   Change:          1.6%        -4.3%         0.3%        3.3%      0.9%
  17-Mar-12       488.2          2.2        455.6         3.3     949.3
   Change:         -1.2%         0.0%         0.3%       -6.1%     -0.5%
  2013 YTD       5100.8         24.0       4832.5        29.3    9986.6
  2012 YTD       5250.7         25.0       4930.5        30.9   10237.1
   Change:         -2.9%        -4.0%        -2.0%       -5.2%     -2.4%
(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
  16-Mar-13     606,000       15,000    2,203,000      43,000
  09-Mar-13     595,000       15,000    2,201,000      42,000
   Change:          1.8%         0.0%         0.1%        2.4%
  17-Mar-12     618,000       13,000    2,179,000      43,000
   Change:         -1.9%        15.4%         1.1%        0.0%
  2013 YTD    6,437,000      161,000   23,303,000     408,000
  2012 YTD    6,684,000      158,000   23,636,000     405,000
   Change:         -3.7%         1.9%        -1.4%        0.6%
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Average Weights (lbs)
Week Ending Live:          Cattle    Calves/Vealers    Hogs   Sheep/Lambs
  16-Mar-13   Estimate          1321          254         277       146
  09-Mar-13   Estimate          1324          259         277       144
  17-Mar-12     Actual          1307          281         279       155
            Dressed:
  16-Mar-13   Estimate           798          148         207        73
  09-Mar-13   Estimate           800          151         207        72
  17-Mar-12     Actual           792          168         209        77
------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Percentage of Total Cattle Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending    Steers      Heifers        Cows           Bulls
  02-Mar-13       48.0%        29.9%        20.7%        1.5%
  03-Mar-12       47.5%        31.8%        19.2%        1.5%

           Percentage of Total Hogs Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending Barrows & Gilts                 Sows                 Boars
  02-Mar-13       97.2%                      2.5%                  0.3%
  03-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/LSMarketNews

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