WA_LS711                 

Washington D.C.           Thu    Mar 25, 2004              USDA Market News



        Actual Slaughter Under Federal Inspection for  W/E  03/13/2004

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               Cattle    Calves     Hogs       Sheep    Goats   Equine  1/Bison

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                                         Head

 Monday       114,387    3,775    376,140     12,589    2,497     490       150

 Tuesday      123,936    3,840    349,381     11,638    2,640      89        92

 Wednesday    118,735    3,774    384,743     11,501    2,250     149       150

 Thursday     127,652    2,813    389,724     11,638    2,058     308       159

 Friday       118,236    4,358    382,528      9,216    1,482       0        78

 Saturday      20,821        0     67,519      3,034       46       0         0

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 Total        623,767   18,560  1,950,035     59,616   10,973   1,036       629

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 %Steers         47.6    %Barrows & Gilts  96.3       %Lambs & Yearlings  96.1

 %Heifers        35.8    %Sows              3.4       %Mature Sheep        3.9

 %Cows           15.1    %Stags & Boars     0.3

 %Bulls & Stags   1.5

 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  03/13/2004

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 Production              Species and Class   Liveweight    Dressed Weight

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              Mil. Lbs.                         Lbs.             Lbs.

 Beef           459.1    Cattle                1,218             740

                         Steers                                  781

                         Heifers                                 725

                         Cows                                    627

                         Bulls & Stags                           905



 Calves & Veal    3.5    Calves                  316             194



 Pork           389.7    Hogs                    267             201

                         Barrows & Gilts                         197

                         Sows                                    315

                         Stags & Boars                           218



 Lamb & Mutton    4.3    Sheep                   145              73

                         Mature Sheep                             68

                         Lambs & Yearlings                        73

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 Total Meat

 Production     856.6

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          TABLE C: Federally Inspected Slaughter Percentages

                        by Species and Class, U.S.

                  Week Ending  Saturday, March 13, 2004

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                 :                 :     Number of  : Percent 

         Species :    Class        :       Head     : of Total

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

         Cattle  : TOTAL           :       623,767

                 : Steers          :       297,157      47.6

                 : Heifers         :       223,020      35.8

                 : Dairy Cows      :        45,900       7.4

                 : Other Cows      :        48,352       7.8

                 : Bulls           :         9,338       1.5

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         Calves  : TOTAL           :        18,560

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         Hogs    : TOTAL           :     1,950,035

                 : Barrows/Gilts   :     1,878,207      96.3

                 : Sows            :        66,633       3.4

                 : Stags/Boars     :         5,195       0.3

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

         Sheep   : TOTAL           :        59,616

                 : Mature Sheep    :         2,333       3.9

                 : Lambs/Yearlings :        57,283      96.1

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

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

                  Week Ending  Saturday, March 13, 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.   : 54,966   41,225    84.1     7,480   9,104   14.5

        Tue.   : 59,686   41,922    82.0     9,974  10,419   16.5

        Wed.   : 54,299   43,017    82.0     9,587   9,868   16.4

        Thu.   : 61,870   45,473    84.1     8,666   9,766   14.4

        Fri.   : 54,722   42,414    82.2     9,964   9,187   16.2

        Sat.   : 11,614    8,969    98.9       229       8    1.1

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        Wkly.  :

        US.Tot.:297,157  223,020    83.4    45,900  48,352   15.1



 Source: National Agricultural Statistics Service