SJ_LS712
St Joseph, MO          Fri Mar 27, 2020          USDA Market News
Estimated Weekly Meat Production Under Federal Inspection

     Total red meat production under Federal inspection for the week
ending Saturday, March 28, 2020 was estimated at 1157.4 million lbs.
according to the U.S.Department of Agriculture's Marketing Service.
This was 1.0 percent higher than a week ago and 10.9 percent higher
than a year ago.  Cumulative meat production for the year to date was
5.1 percent higher compared to the previous year.

                        Meat Production (millions of pounds)
                             (excludes condemned)
Week Ending       Beef     Calf/Veal     Pork (2) Lamb/Mutton  Totals (3)
  28-Mar-20       561.0          1.5        592.4         2.5    1157.4
  21-Mar-20       541.6          1.4        600.0         2.5    1145.5
   Change:          3.6%         7.1%        -1.3%        0.0%      1.0%
  30-Mar-19       496.7          1.3        542.1         3.1    1043.2
   Change:         12.9%        15.4%         9.3%      -19.4%     10.9%
  2020 YTD       6633.5         16.7       7174.1        30.9   13855.2
  2019 YTD       6327.8         18.0       6804.2        33.6   13183.6
   Change:          4.8%        -7.2%         5.4%       -7.9%      5.1%
(1)Previous week estimates may be revised. Year ago data are actuals.
(2) Excludes lard.      (3) Totals may not add due to rounding.
2020 totals are subject to revision
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Livestock Slaughter (head)
Week Ending   Cattle    Calves/Vealer      Hogs   Sheep/Lambs
  28-Mar-20     676,000       11,000    2,754,000      36,000
  21-Mar-20     653,000       11,000    2,790,000      37,000
   Change:          3.5%         0.0%        -1.3%       -2.7%
  30-Mar-19     619,000       10,000    2,528,000      43,000
   Change:          9.2%        10.0%         8.9%      -16.3%
  2020 YTD    8,012,000      131,000   33,290,000     455,000
  2019 YTD    7,809,000      146,000   31,700,000     482,000
   Change:          2.6%       -10.3%         5.0%       -5.6%
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Average Weights (lbs)
Week Ending Live:          Cattle    Calves/Vealers    Hogs   Sheep/Lambs
  28-Mar-20   Estimate          1376          229         288       137
  21-Mar-20   Estimate          1377          225         288       137
  30-Mar-19     Actual          1342          225         287       142
            Dressed:
  28-Mar-20   Estimate           832          133         215        69
  21-Mar-20   Estimate           832          130         215        69
  30-Mar-19     Actual           805          131         215        71
------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Percentage of Total Cattle Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending    Steers      Heifers        Cows           Bulls
  14-Mar-20       46.8%        31.7%        20.1%        1.4%
  16-Mar-19       47.9%        30.2%        20.5%        1.4%

           Percentage of Total Hogs Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending Barrows & Gilts                 Sows                 Boars
  14-Mar-20       97.4%                      2.3%                  0.3%
  16-Mar-19       97.2%                      2.4%                  0.3%

*2019 slaughter totals adjusted to reflect NASS revisions
Source:  USDA Livestock, Poultry, and Grain Market News Division, St Joseph, MO
         816-676-7000   e-mail:  stjoe.lpgmn@ams.usda.gov
         www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/SJ_LS710.txt
         www.ams.usda.gov/market-news/livestock-poultry-grain

1300C