Estimated Weekly Meat Production Under Federal Inspection

SJ_LS712
St Joseph, MO          Fri Mar 30, 2012          USDA Market News
Estimated Weekly Meat Production Under Federal Inspection

     Total red meat production under Federal inspection for the week
ending Saturday, March 31, 2012 was estimated at 922.1 million lbs.
according to the U.S.Department of Agriculture's Marketing Service.
This was 0.4 percent lower than a week ago and 1.3 percent lower
than a year ago.  Cumulative meat production for the year to date was
1.5 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)
  31-Mar-12       475.4          2.1        441.2         3.4     922.1
  24-Mar-12       475.3          2.5        444.8         3.1     925.7
   Change:          0.0%       -16.0%        -0.8%        9.7%     -0.4%
  02-Apr-11       488.6          2.6        439.9         3.3     934.4
   Change:         -2.7%       -19.2%         0.3%        3.0%     -1.3%
  2012 YTD       6201.4         29.6       5816.5        37.4   12084.9
  2011 YTD       6425.0         33.1       5775.1        35.5   12268.7
   Change:         -3.5%       -10.6%         0.7%        5.4%     -1.5%
(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
  31-Mar-12     602,000       13,000    2,113,000      45,000
  24-Mar-12     602,000       15,000    2,132,000      40,000
   Change:          0.0%       -13.3%        -0.9%       12.5%
  02-Apr-11     640,000       15,000    2,117,000      43,000
   Change:         -5.9%       -13.3%        -0.2%        4.7%
  2012 YTD    7,888,000      186,000   27,881,000     490,000
  2011 YTD    8,312,000      214,000   27,722,000     489,000
   Change:         -5.1%       -13.0%         0.6%        0.2%
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Average Weights (lbs)
Week Ending Live:          Cattle    Calves/Vealers    Hogs   Sheep/Lambs
  31-Mar-12   Estimate          1308          280         279       155
  24-Mar-12   Estimate          1310          279         278       155
  02-Apr-11     Actual          1270          294         277       151
            Dressed:
  31-Mar-12   Estimate           792          167         209        77
  24-Mar-12   Estimate           792          166         209        78
  02-Apr-11     Actual           767          175         208        75
------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Percentage of Total Cattle Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending    Steers      Heifers        Cows           Bulls
  17-Mar-12       48.5%        31.0%        18.7%        1.7%
  19-Mar-11       47.5%        31.9%        18.8%        1.9%

           Percentage of Total Hogs Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending Barrows & Gilts                 Sows                 Boars
  17-Mar-12       97.1%                      2.6%                  0.3%
  19-Mar-11       96.9%                      2.8%                  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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