WA_LS711                 

Washington D.C.           Thu    Apr 1, 2004              USDA Market News



        Actual Slaughter Under Federal Inspection for  W/E  03/20/2004

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               Cattle    Calves     Hogs       Sheep    Goats   Equine  1/Bison

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                                         Head

 Monday       114,853    3,308    389,582     12,859    2,486     493       118

 Tuesday      124,607    4,361    386,810     12,225    2,620       0        75

 Wednesday    119,234    3,031    383,486     12,414    1,982     241       241

 Thursday     126,390    3,011    385,244     12,535    2,096     347       122

 Friday       117,254    3,418    371,323     10,560    1,766       0       118

 Saturday      10,463        4     24,675      3,352       56       0         0

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 Total        612,801   17,133  1,941,120     63,945   11,006   1,081       674

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 %Steers         50.4    %Barrows & Gilts  96.4       %Lambs & Yearlings  95.9

 %Heifers        32.5    %Sows              3.3       %Mature Sheep        4.1

 %Cows           15.5    %Stags & Boars     0.3

 %Bulls & Stags   1.6

 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  03/20/2004

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 Production              Species and Class   Liveweight    Dressed Weight

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              Mil. Lbs.                         Lbs.             Lbs.

 Beef           449.4    Cattle                1,213             737

                         Steers                                  778

                         Heifers                                 720

                         Cows                                    623

                         Bulls & Stags                           894



 Calves & Veal    3.1    Calves                  300             185



 Pork           387.9    Hogs                    269             201

                         Barrows & Gilts                         197

                         Sows                                    309

                         Stags & Boars                           225



 Lamb & Mutton    4.7    Sheep                   147              74

                         Mature Sheep                             68

                         Lambs & Yearlings                        74

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 Total Meat

 Production     845.1

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          TABLE C: Federally Inspected Slaughter Percentages

                        by Species and Class, U.S.

                  Week Ending  Saturday, March 20, 2004

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

                 :                 :     Number of  : Percent 

         Species :    Class        :       Head     : of Total

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

         Cattle  : TOTAL           :       612,801

                 : Steers          :       309,063      50.4

                 : Heifers         :       199,100      32.5

                 : Dairy Cows      :        48,617       7.9

                 : Other Cows      :        46,338       7.6

                 : Bulls           :         9,683       1.6

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         Calves  : TOTAL           :        17,133

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

         Hogs    : TOTAL           :     1,941,120

                 : Barrows/Gilts   :     1,871,922      96.4

                 : Sows            :        64,031       3.3

                 : Stags/Boars     :         5,167       0.3

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

         Sheep   : TOTAL           :        63,945

                 : Mature Sheep    :         2,601       4.1

                 : Lambs/Yearlings :        61,344      95.9

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

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

                  Week Ending  Saturday, March 20, 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.   : 59,146   38,082    84.7     7,684   8,212   13.8

        Tue.   : 63,797   38,094    81.8    10,562  10,181   16.6

        Wed.   : 56,876   40,462    81.6    10,479   9,299   16.6

        Thu.   : 66,500   39,548    83.9     9,294   9,176   14.6

        Fri.   : 58,850   36,603    81.4    10,429   9,385   16.9

        Sat.   :  3,894    6,311    97.5       169      85    2.4

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        Wkly.  :

        US.Tot.:309,063  199,100    82.9    48,617  46,338   15.5



 Source: National Agricultural Statistics Service