Estimated Weekly Meat Production Under Federal Inspection

SJ_LS712
St Joseph, MO          Fri Aug 31, 2012          USDA Market News
Estimated Weekly Meat Production Under Federal Inspection

     Total red meat production under Federal inspection for the week
ending Saturday, September 01, 2012 was estimated at 970.7 million lbs.
according to the U.S.Department of Agriculture's Marketing Service.
This was 0.6 percent lower than a week ago and 3.0 percent higher
than a year ago.  Cumulative meat production for the year to date was
0.1 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)
  01-Sep-12       507.7          2.0        458.2         2.8     970.7
  25-Aug-12       516.9          2.0        454.3         2.9     976.1
   Change:         -1.8%         0.0%         0.9%       -3.4%     -0.6%
  03-Sep-11       511.4          2.4        425.7         2.7     942.2
   Change:         -0.7%       -16.7%         7.6%        3.7%      3.0%
  2012 YTD      17120.5         76.7      15016.5        98.7   32312.4
  2011 YTD      17482.4         85.3      14691.3        95.8   32354.8
   Change:         -2.1%       -10.1%         2.2%        3.0%     -0.1%
(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
  01-Sep-12     641,000       15,000    2,282,000      40,000
  25-Aug-12     653,000       15,000    2,265,000      40,000
   Change:         -1.8%         0.0%         0.8%        0.0%
  03-Sep-11     663,000       17,000    2,136,000      40,000
   Change:         -3.3%       -11.8%         6.8%        0.0%
  2012 YTD   21,806,000      489,000   72,831,000   1,323,000
  2011 YTD   22,750,000      557,000   71,579,000   1,350,000
   Change:         -4.2%       -12.2%         1.7%       -2.0%
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Average Weights (lbs)
Week Ending Live:          Cattle    Calves/Vealers    Hogs   Sheep/Lambs
  01-Sep-12   Estimate          1300          233         268       143
  25-Aug-12   Estimate          1300          231         268       145
  03-Sep-11     Actual          1275          246         267       138
            Dressed:
  01-Sep-12   Estimate           794          138         201        72
  25-Aug-12   Estimate           793          136         201        72
  03-Sep-11     Actual           774          145         199        69
------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Percentage of Total Cattle Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending    Steers      Heifers        Cows           Bulls
  18-Aug-12       50.5%        29.0%        18.9%        1.6%
  20-Aug-11       52.7%        25.8%        19.9%        1.7%

           Percentage of Total Hogs Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending Barrows & Gilts                 Sows                 Boars
  18-Aug-12       96.9%                      2.8%                  0.3%
  20-Aug-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

1300C

1. 4 rules for growing a business or industry
2. Corn planting pace turns from record slow to record fast
3. Ag markets seemed to follow gold higher Monday afternoon
4. Online systems keeps exporters abreast of market regulations
5. April milk production up 0.3 percent
6. New crop cottonseed market rallies in face of tight supplies

1. D.C. Watch: Farm bill progressing
2. Class III futures close out quietly last week
3. April milk production up 0.3 percent
4. What are the drivers of profit in your dairy herd?
5. Weather report: Rain spreads across the Corn Belt
6. Farmers dodge showers to plant corn at breakneck pace

1. Analysis: Dairy Security Act better for farmers, taxpayers
2. Commentary: Slanting the statistics
3. World food supply depends on character, virtuous leadership
4. Buffet concerned about soil and starvation
5. Cold spring stunts upper Midwest hay crop
6. N.M. rancher charged with 43 counts of animal cruelty