Estimated Weekly Meat Production Under Federal Inspection

SJ_LS712
St Joseph, MO          Fri Dec 23, 2011          USDA Market News
Estimated Weekly Meat Production Under Federal Inspection

     Total red meat production under Federal inspection for the week
ending Saturday, December 24, 2011 was estimated at 919.8 million lbs.
according to the U.S.Department of Agriculture's Marketing Service.
This was 7.2 percent lower than a week ago and 13.1 percent higher
than a year ago.  Cumulative meat production for the year to date was
0.5 percent higher compared to the previous year.

                        Meat Production (millions of pounds)
                             (excludes condemned)
Week Ending       Beef     Calf/Veal     Pork (2) Lamb/Mutton  Totals (3)
  24-Dec-11       465.3          2.5        449.4         2.6     919.8
  17-Dec-11       498.4          2.5        487.6         2.9     991.4
   Change:         -6.6%         0.0%        -7.8%      -10.3%     -7.2%
  25-Dec-10       426.4          2.4        382.1         2.7     813.6
   Change:          9.1%         4.2%        17.6%       -3.7%     13.1%
  2011 YTD      25428.8        124.0      22195.2       138.0   47886.0
  2010 YTD      25504.8        128.3      21869.9       151.8   47654.9
   Change:         -0.3%        -3.4%         1.5%       -9.1%      0.5%
(1)Previous week estimates may be revised. Year ago data are actuals.
(2) Excludes lard.      (3) Totals may not add due to rounding.
2011 totals are subject to revision
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Livestock Slaughter (head)
Week Ending   Cattle    Calves/Vealers     Hogs   Sheep/Lambs
  24-Dec-11     598,000       17,000    2,155,000      37,000
  17-Dec-11     642,000       17,000    2,339,000      42,000
   Change:         -6.9%         0.0%        -7.9%      -11.9%
  25-Dec-10     545,000       16,000    1,851,000      40,000
   Change:          9.7%         6.3%        16.4%       -7.5%
  2011 YTD   33,002,000      824,000  107,989,000   1,963,000
  2010 YTD   33,131,000      848,000  107,369,000   2,222,000
   Change:         -0.4%        -2.8%         0.6%      -11.7%
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Average Weights (lbs)
Week Ending Live:          Cattle    Calves/Vealers    Hogs   Sheep/Lambs
  24-Dec-11   Estimate          1302          250         279       142
  17-Dec-11   Estimate          1300          254         279       140
  25-Dec-10     Actual          1307          265         276       137
            Dressed:
  24-Dec-11   Estimate           780          147         209        71
  17-Dec-11   Estimate           778          150         209        70
  25-Dec-10     Actual           786          157         207        69
------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Percentage of Total Cattle Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending    Steers      Heifers        Cows           Bulls
  10-Dec-11       48.5%        27.3%        22.5%        1.7%
  11-Dec-10       48.1%        29.3%        20.7%        1.8%

           Percentage of Total Hogs Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending Barrows & Gilts                 Sows                 Boars
  10-Dec-11       96.8%                      2.9%                  0.3%
  11-Dec-10       97.0%                      2.7%                  0.3%

*2010 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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