WA_LS711                 

Washington D.C.           Thu    May 27, 2004              USDA Market News



        Actual Slaughter Under Federal Inspection for  W/E  05/15/2004

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               Cattle    Calves     Hogs       Sheep    Goats   Equine  1/Bison

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                                         Head

 Monday       126,790    3,402    356,133      7,090    1,623     550        72

 Tuesday      129,523    3,458    369,238      9,436    3,023       0        53

 Wednesday    131,046    3,039    372,712      6,982    1,786     263       215

 Thursday     133,169    2,695    374,349      9,172    2,273     381       120

 Friday       129,692    2,914    368,413      6,473    2,815       0        25

 Saturday      40,614      270      1,892         47       38       0         0

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 Total        690,834   15,778  1,842,737     39,200   11,558   1,194       485

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 %Steers         52.4    %Barrows & Gilts  96.3       %Lambs & Yearlings  91.9

 %Heifers        31.9    %Sows              3.5       %Mature Sheep        8.1

 %Cows           14.0    %Stags & Boars     0.3

 %Bulls & Stags   1.7

 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  05/15/2004

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 Production              Species and Class   Liveweight    Dressed Weight

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              Mil. Lbs.                         Lbs.             Lbs.

 Beef           504.0    Cattle                1,204             734

                         Steers                                  776

                         Heifers                                 710

                         Cows                                    609

                         Bulls & Stags                           895



 Calves & Veal    3.4    Calves                  356             218



 Pork           366.1    Hogs                    267             199

                         Barrows & Gilts                         195

                         Sows                                    315

                         Stags & Boars                           217



 Lamb & Mutton    2.7    Sheep                   139              70

                         Mature Sheep                             68

                         Lambs & Yearlings                        70

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 Total Meat

 Production     876.2

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          TABLE C: Federally Inspected Slaughter Percentages

                        by Species and Class, U.S.

                   Week Ending  Saturday, May 15, 2004

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                 :                 :     Number of  : Percent 

         Species :    Class        :       Head     : of Total

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

         Cattle  : TOTAL           :       690,834

                 : Steers          :       362,079      52.4

                 : Heifers         :       220,255      31.9

                 : Dairy Cows      :        42,309       6.1

                 : Other Cows      :        54,563       7.9

                 : Bulls           :        11,628       1.7

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         Calves  : TOTAL           :        15,778

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

         Hogs    : TOTAL           :     1,842,737

                 : Barrows/Gilts   :     1,773,815      96.3

                 : Sows            :        64,230       3.5

                 : Stags/Boars     :         4,692       0.3

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

         Sheep   : TOTAL           :        39,200

                 : Mature Sheep    :         3,172       8.1

                 : Lambs/Yearlings :        36,028      91.9

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

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

                   Week Ending  Saturday, May 15, 2004

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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.   : 65,979   41,261    84.6     7,618   9,942   13.8

        Tue.   : 69,477   39,194    83.9     7,889  10,710   14.4

        Wed.   : 72,156   37,338    83.6     8,406  10,782   14.6

        Thu.   : 69,295   41,038    82.9     8,704  11,587   15.2

        Fri.   : 65,670   40,835    82.1     9,657  11,104   16.0

        Sat.   : 19,502   20,589    98.7        35     438    1.2

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        Wkly.  :

        US.Tot.:362,079  220,255    84.3    42,309  54,563   14.0



 Source: National Agricultural Statistics Service