WA_LS711                 

Washington D.C.           Thu    Mar 4, 2004              USDA Market News



        Actual Slaughter Under Federal Inspection for  W/E  02/21/2004

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               Cattle    Calves     Hogs       Sheep    Goats   Equine  1/Bison

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                                         Head

 Monday       101,635    3,316    348,237      7,880    1,477     519        59

 Tuesday      124,635    3,558    390,320     11,215    2,819       0       122

 Wednesday    122,083    3,697    391,532     10,552    1,858     191       102

 Thursday     117,659    2,762    388,781     10,280    1,879     273       141

 Friday       113,848    3,845    383,510      7,002    1,707       0        74

 Saturday      11,484        0     16,416      1,662       44       0         0

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 Total        591,344   17,178  1,918,796     48,591    9,784     983       498

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 %Steers         47.3    %Barrows & Gilts  96.3       %Lambs & Yearlings  95.3

 %Heifers        34.4    %Sows              3.4       %Mature Sheep        4.7

 %Cows           16.8    %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  02/21/2004

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 Production              Species and Class   Liveweight    Dressed Weight

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              Mil. Lbs.                         Lbs.             Lbs.

 Beef           436.4    Cattle                1,224             742

                         Steers                                  791

                         Heifers                                 726

                         Cows                                    620

                         Bulls & Stags                           889



 Calves & Veal    3.4    Calves                  332             204



 Pork           383.0    Hogs                    268             200

                         Barrows & Gilts                         196

                         Sows                                    315

                         Stags & Boars                           191



 Lamb & Mutton    3.4    Sheep                   142              71

                         Mature Sheep                             64

                         Lambs & Yearlings                        71

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 Total Meat

 Production     826.2

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 Source: National Agricultural Statistics Service

          TABLE C: Federally Inspected Slaughter Percentages

                        by Species and Class, U.S.

                 Week Ending  Saturday, February 21, 2004

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                 :                 :     Number of  : Percent 

         Species :    Class        :       Head     : of Total

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         Cattle  : TOTAL           :       591,344

                 : Steers          :       279,457      47.3

                 : Heifers         :       203,172      34.4

                 : Dairy Cows      :        52,590       8.9

                 : Other Cows      :        47,017       8.0

                 : Bulls           :         9,108       1.5

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         Calves  : TOTAL           :        17,178

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         Hogs    : TOTAL           :     1,918,796

                 : Barrows/Gilts   :     1,848,338      96.3

                 : Sows            :        65,526       3.4

                 : Stags/Boars     :         4,932       0.3

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

         Sheep   : TOTAL           :        48,591

                 : Mature Sheep    :         2,300       4.7

                 : Lambs/Yearlings :        46,291      95.3

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

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

                 Week Ending  Saturday, February 21, 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.   : 48,953   35,553    83.1     7,336   8,336   15.4

        Tue.   : 61,428   41,155    82.3    10,987   9,362   16.3

        Wed.   : 56,443   42,366    80.9    11,588   9,683   17.4

        Thu.   : 57,076   38,479    81.2    10,631   9,741   17.3

        Fri.   : 51,457   39,240    79.7    11,521   9,542   18.5

        Sat.   :  4,100    6,379    91.2       527     353    7.7

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        Wkly.  :

        US.Tot.:279,457  203,172    81.6    52,590  47,017   16.8



 Source: National Agricultural Statistics Service