WA_LS711                 

Washington D.C.            Wed    Dec 31, 2003              USDA Market News



        Actual Slaughter Under Federal Inspection for  W/E  12/20/2003

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               Cattle    Calves     Hogs       Sheep    Goats   Equine  1/Bison

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                                         Head

 Monday       114,310    3,754    391,658     12,923    3,183     597        97

 Tuesday      126,266    4,570    390,745     13,399    3,681       0       267

 Wednesday    123,500    4,820    396,790      9,329    3,047     276       264

 Thursday     126,663    4,301    398,784     12,147    3,218     485       140

 Friday       119,323    4,533    399,387      9,039    2,944       0        50

 Saturday      25,797       16    258,235        277      812       0         0

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 Total        635,859   21,994  2,235,599     57,114   16,885   1,358       818

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 %Steers         47.0    %Barrows & Gilts  96.8       %Lambs & Yearlings  95.3

 %Heifers        32.1    %Sows              3.0       %Mature Sheep        4.7

 %Cows           19.1    %Stags & Boars     0.2

 %Bulls & Stags   1.8

 1/  Bison are not covered under the Meat Inspection Act, and therefore  

     do not require inspection.  Numbers refer to the amount killed in   

     Federally Inspected plants, and are not necessarily inspected.      



   Meat Production and Actual Liveweight and Dressed Weight  W/E  12/20/2003

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 Production              Species and Class   Liveweight    Dressed Weight

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              Mil. Lbs.                         Lbs.             Lbs.

 Beef           472.0    Cattle                1,247             746

                         Steers                                  809

                         Heifers                                 736

                         Cows                                    594

                         Bulls & Stags                           874



 Calves & Veal    4.3    Calves                  326             201



 Pork           445.4    Hogs                    268             200

                         Barrows & Gilts                         196

                         Sows                                    319

                         Stags & Boars                           253



 Lamb & Mutton    4.0    Sheep                   138              70

                         Mature Sheep                             66

                         Lambs & Yearlings                        70

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 Total Meat

 Production     925.7

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 Source: National Agricultural Statistics Service

          TABLE C: Federally Inspected Slaughter Percentages

                        by Species and Class, U.S.

                 Week Ending  Saturday, December 20, 2003

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                 :                 :     Number of  : Percent 

         Species :    Class        :       Head     : of Total

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         Cattle  : TOTAL           :       635,859

                 : Steers          :       299,032      47.0

                 : Heifers         :       204,383      32.1

                 : Dairy Cows      :        58,353       9.2

                 : Other Cows      :        62,843       9.9

                 : Bulls           :        11,248       1.8

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         Calves  : TOTAL           :        21,994

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         Hogs    : TOTAL           :     2,235,599

                 : Barrows/Gilts   :     2,163,806      96.8

                 : Sows            :        67,209       3.0

                 : Stags/Boars     :         4,584       0.2

     ------------------------------------------------------------

         Sheep   : TOTAL           :        57,114

                 : Mature Sheep    :         2,677       4.7

                 : Lambs/Yearlings :        54,437      95.3

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               Federally Inspected Slaughter by Species and Day, U.S.

                 Week Ending  Saturday, December 20, 2003

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               :            Number of Head Slaughtered

               :-----------------------------------------------------

        Day    :        :         : S&H as :       :       : D&O as 

        of     :        :         : % of   : Dairy : Other : % of   

        Week   : Steers : Heifers : Day Cat: Cows  : Cows  : Day Cat

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        Mon.   : 52,296   37,795    78.8     9,194  12,811   19.3

        Tue.   : 57,571   42,512    79.3    11,917  12,199   19.1

        Wed.   : 60,275   37,170    78.9    12,023  11,820   19.3

        Thu.   : 63,801   37,598    80.1    11,388  11,749   18.3

        Fri.   : 52,386   40,652    78.0    11,826  12,298   20.2

        Sat.   : 12,703    8,656    82.8     2,005   1,966   15.4

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        Wkly.  :

        US.Tot.:299,032  204,383    79.2    58,353  62,843   19.1





 Source: National Agricultural Statistics Service