WA_LS711                 

Washington D.C.           Thu    May 6, 2004              USDA Market News



        Actual Slaughter Under Federal Inspection for  W/E  04/24/2004

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               Cattle    Calves     Hogs       Sheep    Goats   Equine  1/Bison

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                                         Head

 Monday       112,736    3,328    396,953     11,006    1,970     560       145

 Tuesday      130,847    3,455    389,876      7,992    2,518      34        50

 Wednesday    125,428    3,430    381,056      9,442    2,145     175       130

 Thursday     126,832    2,690    385,996     10,620    1,725     334       120

 Friday       121,234    3,210    377,944      8,453    1,775       0       121

 Saturday      21,675        5     20,243        142      103       0         0

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 Total        638,752   16,118  1,952,068     47,655   10,236   1,103       566

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 %Steers         52.0    %Barrows & Gilts  96.4       %Lambs & Yearlings  93.6

 %Heifers        31.2    %Sows              3.4       %Mature Sheep        6.4

 %Cows           15.0    %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  04/24/2004

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 Production              Species and Class   Liveweight    Dressed Weight

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              Mil. Lbs.                         Lbs.             Lbs.

 Beef           461.2    Cattle                1,192             726

                         Steers                                  766

                         Heifers                                 704

                         Cows                                    610

                         Bulls & Stags                           904



 Calves & Veal    3.4    Calves                  360             218



 Pork           389.4    Hogs                    268             200

                         Barrows & Gilts                         196

                         Sows                                    311

                         Stags & Boars                           226



 Lamb & Mutton    3.5    Sheep                   145              73

                         Mature Sheep                             67

                         Lambs & Yearlings                        73

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 Total Meat

 Production     857.5

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          TABLE C: Federally Inspected Slaughter Percentages

                        by Species and Class, U.S.

                  Week Ending  Saturday, April 24, 2004

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

                 :                 :     Number of  : Percent 

         Species :    Class        :       Head     : of Total

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

         Cattle  : TOTAL           :       638,752

                 : Steers          :       332,004      52.0

                 : Heifers         :       199,466      31.2

                 : Dairy Cows      :        41,839       6.6

                 : Other Cows      :        54,133       8.5

                 : Bulls           :        11,310       1.8

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

         Calves  : TOTAL           :        16,118

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

         Hogs    : TOTAL           :     1,952,068

                 : Barrows/Gilts   :     1,881,486      96.4

                 : Sows            :        65,781       3.4

                 : Stags/Boars     :         4,801       0.2

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

         Sheep   : TOTAL           :        47,655

                 : Mature Sheep    :         3,066       6.4

                 : Lambs/Yearlings :        44,589      93.6

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

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

                  Week Ending  Saturday, April 24, 2004

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

               :            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.   : 56,944   38,215    84.4     5,832   9,927   14.0

        Tue.   : 71,222   37,612    83.2     8,441  11,240   15.0

        Wed.   : 65,686   37,249    82.1     9,251  10,941   16.1

        Thu.   : 64,434   39,984    82.3     8,515  11,475   15.8

        Fri.   : 61,919   37,299    81.8     9,712   9,912   16.2

        Sat.   : 11,799    9,107    96.5        88     638    3.3

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        Wkly.  :

        US.Tot.:332,004  199,466    83.2    41,839  54,133   15.0



 Source: National Agricultural Statistics Service