Estimated Weekly Meat Production Under Federal Inspection

SJ_LS712
St Joseph, MO          Fri Feb 17, 2012          USDA Market News
Estimated Weekly Meat Production Under Federal Inspection

     Total red meat production under Federal inspection for the week
ending Saturday, February 18, 2012 was estimated at 935 million lbs.
according to the U.S.Department of Agriculture's Marketing Service.
This was 1.7 percent higher than a week ago and 1.0 percent lower
than a year ago.  Cumulative meat production for the year to date was
2.3 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)
  18-Feb-12       482.8          2.3        447.3         2.6     935.0
  11-Feb-12       470.2          2.3        443.9         2.9     919.3
   Change:          2.7%         0.0%         0.8%      -10.3%      1.7%
  19-Feb-11       503.6          2.5        435.5         2.7     944.3
   Change:         -4.1%        -8.0%         2.7%       -3.7%     -1.0%
  2012 YTD       3312.3         15.9       3140.1        18.7    6487.0
  2011 YTD       3484.8         17.5       3116.2        17.9    6636.4
   Change:         -5.0%        -9.1%         0.8%        4.5%     -2.3%
(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
  18-Feb-12     616,000       15,000    2,149,000      35,000
  11-Feb-12     602,000       15,000    2,130,000      38,000
   Change:          2.3%         0.0%         0.9%       -7.9%
  19-Feb-11     654,000       17,000    2,095,000      37,000
   Change:         -5.8%       -11.8%         2.6%       -5.4%
  2012 YTD    4,236,000      104,000   15,062,000     247,000
  2011 YTD    4,483,000      118,000   14,958,000     252,000
   Change:         -5.5%       -12.0%         0.7%       -1.8%
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Average Weights (lbs)
Week Ending Live:          Cattle    Calves/Vealers    Hogs   Sheep/Lambs
  18-Feb-12   Estimate          1306          260         278       152
  11-Feb-12   Estimate          1303          260         278       152
  19-Feb-11     Actual          1289          254         278       146
            Dressed:
  18-Feb-12   Estimate           786          154         208        76
  11-Feb-12   Estimate           783          154         209        76
  19-Feb-11     Actual           773          151         208        73
------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Percentage of Total Cattle Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending    Steers      Heifers        Cows           Bulls
  04-Feb-12       48.5%        28.1%        21.7%        1.7%
  05-Feb-11       47.8%        31.2%        19.5%        1.5%

           Percentage of Total Hogs Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending Barrows & Gilts                 Sows                 Boars
  04-Feb-12       97.0%                      2.7%                  0.3%
  05-Feb-11       97.3%                      2.4%                  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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