Estimated Weekly Meat Production Under Federal Inspection

SJ_LS712
St Joseph, MO          Fri Dec 30, 2011          USDA Market News
Estimated Weekly Meat Production Under Federal Inspection

     Total red meat production under Federal inspection for the week
ending Saturday, December 31, 2011 was estimated at 831.8 million lbs.
according to the U.S.Department of Agriculture's Marketing Service.
This was 9.6 percent lower than a week ago and 2.3 percent lower
than a year ago.  Cumulative meat production for the year to date was
0.4 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)
  31-Dec-11       417.6          2.0        409.8         2.4     831.8
  24-Dec-11       465.3          2.5        449.4         2.6     919.8
   Change:        -10.3%       -20.0%        -8.8%       -7.7%     -9.6%
  01-Jan-11       446.6          2.3        399.5         2.6     851.0
   Change:         -6.5%       -13.0%         2.6%       -7.7%     -2.3%
  2011 YTD      25844.7        126.1      22604.5       140.5   48715.8
  2010 YTD      25951.4        130.6      22269.4       154.4   48505.8
   Change:         -0.4%        -3.4%         1.5%       -9.0%      0.4%
(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
  31-Dec-11     539,000       14,000    1,967,000      34,000
  24-Dec-11     598,000       17,000    2,155,000      37,000
   Change:         -9.9%       -17.6%        -8.7%       -8.1%
  01-Jan-11     567,000       16,000    1,924,000      37,000
   Change:         -4.9%       -12.5%         2.2%       -8.1%
  2011 YTD   33,543,000      838,000  109,967,000   1,997,000
  2010 YTD   33,967,000      864,000  109,292,000   2,259,000
                   -0.5%        -3.0%         0.6%      -11.6%
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Average Weights (lbs)
Week Ending Live:          Cattle    Calves/Vealers    Hogs   Sheep/Lambs
  31-Dec-11   Estimate          1299          249         279       142
  24-Dec-11   Estimate          1302          250         279       142
  01-Jan-11     Actual          1315          256         277       141
            Dressed:
  31-Dec-11   Estimate           777          147         208        71
  24-Dec-11   Estimate           780          147         209        71
  01-Jan-11     Actual           791          152         208        71
------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Percentage of Total Cattle Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending    Steers      Heifers        Cows           Bulls
  17-Dec-11       46.9%        29.2%        22.1%        1.7%
  18-Dec-10       48.6%        29.1%        20.6%        1.7%

           Percentage of Total Hogs Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending Barrows & Gilts                 Sows                 Boars
  17-Dec-11       96.9%                      2.8%                  0.3%
  18-Dec-10       97.2%                      2.5%                  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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