WA_LS711                 

Washington D.C.           Thu    Feb 5, 2004              USDA Market News



        Actual Slaughter Under Federal Inspection for  W/E  01/24/2004

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               Cattle    Calves     Hogs       Sheep    Goats   Equine  1/Bison

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                                         Head

 Monday        93,348    3,385    367,748      8,962    1,726     514       161

 Tuesday      119,273    3,760    390,125     11,674    3,192       0       120

 Wednesday    127,141    4,177    388,599     10,715    2,401     177       163

 Thursday     129,760    2,782    391,405     10,304    3,022     394       127

 Friday       130,334    3,218    377,727      7,871    2,683       0       132

 Saturday      23,709        1    117,945         66       91       0         0

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 Total        623,565   17,323  2,033,549     49,592   13,115   1,085       703

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 %Steers         47.8    %Barrows & Gilts  96.8       %Lambs & Yearlings  96.1

 %Heifers        32.4    %Sows              3.0       %Mature Sheep        3.9

 %Cows           18.1    %Stags & Boars     0.2

 %Bulls & Stags   1.7

 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  01/24/2004

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 Production              Species and Class   Liveweight    Dressed Weight

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              Mil. Lbs.                         Lbs.             Lbs.

 Beef           469.3    Cattle                1,256             757

                         Steers                                  812

                         Heifers                                 747

                         Cows                                    613

                         Bulls & Stags                           901



 Calves & Veal    3.5    Calves                  334             206



 Pork           407.8    Hogs                    269             201

                         Barrows & Gilts                         197

                         Sows                                    316

                         Stags & Boars                           237



 Lamb & Mutton    3.6    Sheep                   145              73

                         Mature Sheep                             71

                         Lambs & Yearlings                        73

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 Total Meat

 Production     884.2

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 Source: National Agricultural Statistics Service

          TABLE C: Federally Inspected Slaughter Percentages

                        by Species and Class, U.S.

                 Week Ending  Saturday, January 24, 2004

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

                 :                 :     Number of  : Percent 

         Species :    Class        :       Head     : of Total

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         Cattle  : TOTAL           :       623,565

                 : Steers          :       297,825      47.8

                 : Heifers         :       202,209      32.4

                 : Dairy Cows      :        55,291       8.9

                 : Other Cows      :        57,748       9.3

                 : Bulls           :        10,492       1.7

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         Calves  : TOTAL           :        17,323

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

         Hogs    : TOTAL           :     2,033,549

                 : Barrows/Gilts   :     1,968,244      96.8

                 : Sows            :        60,910       3.0

                 : Stags/Boars     :         4,395       0.2

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

         Sheep   : TOTAL           :        49,592

                 : Mature Sheep    :         1,935       3.9

                 : Lambs/Yearlings :        47,657      96.1

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

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

                 Week Ending  Saturday, January 24, 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.   : 41,545   29,631    76.2     9,186  10,768   21.4

        Tue.   : 56,974   37,031    78.8    11,301  12,022   19.6

        Wed.   : 58,363   44,270    80.7    11,621  10,962   17.8

        Thu.   : 64,695   41,228    81.6    10,853  11,023   16.9

        Fri.   : 62,562   43,557    81.4    11,287  10,857   17.0

        Sat.   : 13,686    6,492    85.1     1,043   2,116   13.3

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        Wkly.  :

        US.Tot.:297,825  202,209    80.2    55,291  57,748   18.1





 Source: National Agricultural Statistics Service