WA_LS711                 

Washington D.C.           Thu    Jan 8, 2004              USDA Market News



        Actual Slaughter Under Federal Inspection for  W/E  12/27/2003

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               Cattle    Calves     Hogs       Sheep    Goats   Equine  1/Bison

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                                         Head

 Monday       133,041    4,049    402,361      9,794    4,061     209        63

 Tuesday      129,876    4,998    392,709      9,760    4,584       0        91

 Wednesday     31,732    4,147    207,234      8,762    2,673     105        42

 Thursday          19        0         70         14       34       0         0

 Friday       110,864    3,640    330,808      8,795    1,842       0         5

 Saturday      43,084       13    258,362      1,948      502       0         5

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 Total        448,616   16,847  1,591,544     39,073   13,696     314       206

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 %Steers         49.3    %Barrows & Gilts  97.2       %Lambs & Yearlings  93.5

 %Heifers        31.4    %Sows              2.5       %Mature Sheep        6.5

 %Cows           17.8    %Stags & Boars     0.2

 %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  12/27/2003

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 Production              Species and Class   Liveweight    Dressed Weight

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              Mil. Lbs.                         Lbs.             Lbs.

 Beef           335.2    Cattle                1,249             751

                         Steers                                  806

                         Heifers                                 743

                         Cows                                    601

                         Bulls & Stags                           870



 Calves & Veal    3.3    Calves                  325             200



 Pork           315.5    Hogs                    267             199

                         Barrows & Gilts                         196

                         Sows                                    312

                         Stags & Boars                           242



 Lamb & Mutton    2.8    Sheep                   141              71

                         Mature Sheep                             64

                         Lambs & Yearlings                        71

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 Total Meat

 Production     656.8

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          TABLE C: Federally Inspected Slaughter Percentages

                        by Species and Class, U.S.

                 Week Ending  Saturday, December 27, 2003

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

                 :                 :     Number of  : Percent 

         Species :    Class        :       Head     : of Total

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         Cattle  : TOTAL           :       448,616

                 : Steers          :       221,225      49.3

                 : Heifers         :       140,823      31.4

                 : Dairy Cows      :        37,465       8.4

                 : Other Cows      :        42,491       9.5

                 : Bulls           :         6,612       1.5

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         Calves  : TOTAL           :        16,847

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

         Hogs    : TOTAL           :     1,591,544

                 : Barrows/Gilts   :     1,547,776      97.2

                 : Sows            :        40,293       2.5

                 : Stags/Boars     :         3,475       0.2

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

         Sheep   : TOTAL           :        39,073

                 : Mature Sheep    :         2,529       6.5

                 : Lambs/Yearlings :        36,544      93.5

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

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

                 Week Ending  Saturday, December 27, 2003

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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.   : 67,449   40,403    81.1    10,458  12,578   17.3

        Tue.   : 63,213   40,221    79.6    12,008  12,468   18.8

        Wed.   : 10,756    5,408    50.9     6,918   7,792   46.4

        Thu.   :      5        2    36.8         9           47.4

        Fri.   : 58,925   36,434    86.0     6,954   7,318   12.9

        Sat.   : 20,877   18,355    91.1     1,118   2,335    8.0

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        Wkly.  :

        US.Tot.:221,225  140,823    80.7    37,465  42,491   17.8





 Source: National Agricultural Statistics Service