WA_LS711                 

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



        Actual Slaughter Under Federal Inspection for  W/E  03/27/2004

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               Cattle    Calves     Hogs       Sheep    Goats   Equine  1/Bison

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                                         Head

 Monday       112,789    3,673    380,200     13,601    2,236     536       136

 Tuesday      129,665    3,769    379,020     13,211    2,572       0        75

 Wednesday    112,617    2,880    381,092     12,892    2,146     170        33

 Thursday     119,576    1,791    380,244     12,861    2,461     384       188

 Friday       122,337    2,604    369,259     11,357    1,671       0        73

 Saturday      18,637      160     31,264      7,541       42       0         0

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 Total        615,621   14,877  1,921,079     71,463   11,128   1,090       505

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 %Steers         50.3    %Barrows & Gilts  96.4       %Lambs & Yearlings  96.1

 %Heifers        32.3    %Sows              3.3       %Mature Sheep        3.9

 %Cows           15.7    %Stags & Boars     0.3

 %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  03/27/2004

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 Production              Species and Class   Liveweight    Dressed Weight

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              Mil. Lbs.                         Lbs.             Lbs.

 Beef           449.7    Cattle                1,206             735

                         Steers                                  776

                         Heifers                                 719

                         Cows                                    613

                         Bulls & Stags                           900



 Calves & Veal    2.5    Calves                  276             168



 Pork           383.1    Hogs                    269             200

                         Barrows & Gilts                         196

                         Sows                                    312

                         Stags & Boars                           226



 Lamb & Mutton    5.3    Sheep                   147              74

                         Mature Sheep                             68

                         Lambs & Yearlings                        74

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 Total Meat

 Production     840.6

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 Source: National Agricultural Statistics Service

          TABLE C: Federally Inspected Slaughter Percentages

                        by Species and Class, U.S.

                  Week Ending  Saturday, March 27, 2004

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                 :                 :     Number of  : Percent 

         Species :    Class        :       Head     : of Total

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         Cattle  : TOTAL           :       615,621

                 : Steers          :       309,468      50.3

                 : Heifers         :       198,917      32.3

                 : Dairy Cows      :        47,204       7.7

                 : Other Cows      :        49,380       8.0

                 : Bulls           :        10,652       1.7

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         Calves  : TOTAL           :        14,877

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         Hogs    : TOTAL           :     1,921,079

                 : Barrows/Gilts   :     1,851,817      96.4

                 : Sows            :        63,756       3.3

                 : Stags/Boars     :         5,506       0.3

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         Sheep   : TOTAL           :        71,463

                 : Mature Sheep    :         2,759       3.9

                 : Lambs/Yearlings :        68,704      96.1

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

                  Week Ending  Saturday, March 27, 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.   : 58,078   34,301    81.9     8,595   9,622   16.2

        Tue.   : 65,396   41,656    82.6     9,490  10,962   15.8

        Wed.   : 52,961   38,116    80.9     9,994   9,509   17.3

        Thu.   : 61,554   36,229    81.8     9,341  10,122   16.3

        Fri.   : 63,454   38,518    83.4     9,357   9,086   15.1

        Sat.   :  8,025   10,097    97.2       427      79    2.7

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        Wkly.  :

        US.Tot.:309,468  198,917    82.6    47,204  49,380   15.7



 Source: National Agricultural Statistics Service