Estimated Weekly Meat Production Under Federal Inspection

SJ_LS712
St Joseph, MO          Fri May 04, 2012          USDA Market News
Estimated Weekly Meat Production Under Federal Inspection

     Total red meat production under Federal inspection for the week
ending Saturday, May 05, 2012 was estimated at 921.9 million lbs.
according to the U.S.Department of Agriculture's Marketing Service.
This was 0.5 percent higher than a week ago and 0.6 percent higher
than a year ago.  Cumulative meat production for the year to date was
1 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)
  05-May-12       484.8          2.2        432.2         2.7     921.9
  28-Apr-12       475.9          2.2        436.8         2.4     917.3
   Change:          1.9%         0.0%        -1.1%       12.5%      0.5%
  07-May-11       499.0          2.5        412.2         2.9     916.6
   Change:         -2.8%       -12.0%         4.9%       -6.9%      0.6%
  2012 YTD       8555.7         40.7       7995.8        50.8   16643.0
  2011 YTD       8848.6         45.0       7871.1        51.2   16815.9
   Change:         -3.3%        -9.6%         1.6%       -0.8%     -1.0%
(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
  05-May-12     623,000       13,000    2,069,000      38,000
  28-Apr-12     611,000       13,000    2,092,000      35,000
   Change:          2.0%         0.0%        -1.1%        8.6%
  07-May-11     659,000       15,000    1,990,000      38,000
   Change:         -5.5%       -13.3%         4.0%        0.0%
  2012 YTD   10,924,000      250,000   38,313,000     684,000
  2011 YTD   11,515,000      283,000   37,819,000     709,000
   Change:         -5.1%       -11.6%         1.3%       -3.5%
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Average Weights (lbs)
Week Ending Live:          Cattle    Calves/Vealers    Hogs   Sheep/Lambs
  05-May-12   Estimate          1286          289         279       145
  28-Apr-12   Estimate          1287          284         279       140
  07-May-11     Actual          1257          290         277       149
            Dressed:
  05-May-12   Estimate           780          172         209        72
  28-Apr-12   Estimate           781          169         209        70
  07-May-11     Actual           760          173         207        75
------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Percentage of Total Cattle Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending    Steers      Heifers        Cows           Bulls
  21-Apr-12       50.3%        28.8%        19.1%        1.8%
  23-Apr-11       49.9%        29.1%        19.0%        1.9%

           Percentage of Total Hogs Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending Barrows & Gilts                 Sows                 Boars
  21-Apr-12       97.0%                      2.7%                  0.3%
  23-Apr-11       97.0%                      2.7%                  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
        www.ams.usda.gov/LSMarketNews

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