SJ_LS712
St Joseph, MO          Fri Dec 14, 2018          USDA Market News
Estimated Weekly Meat Production Under Federal Inspection

     Total red meat production under Federal inspection for the week
ending Saturday, December 15, 2018 was estimated at 1102.6 million lbs.
according to the U.S.Department of Agriculture's Marketing Service.
This was 0.2 percent higher than a week ago and 2.3 percent higher
than a year ago.  Cumulative meat production for the year to date was
2.6 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)
  15-Dec-18       542.1          1.2        556.4         2.9    1102.6
  08-Dec-18       552.5          1.2        543.7         2.7    1100.1
   Change:         -1.9%         0.0%         2.3%        7.4%      0.2%
  16-Dec-17       523.5          1.6        550.2         3.0    1078.3
   Change:          3.6%       -25.0%         1.1%       -3.3%      2.3%
  2018 YTD      25580.2         69.8      25097.5       133.6   50881.1
  2017 YTD      24926.1         69.9      24458.1       126.7   49580.8
   Change:          2.6%        -0.1%         2.6%        5.5%      2.6%
(1)Previous week estimates may be revised. Year ago data are actuals.
(2) Excludes lard.      (3) Totals may not add due to rounding.
2018 totals are subject to revision
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Livestock Slaughter (head)
Week Ending   Cattle    Calves/Vealer      Hogs   Sheep/Lambs
  15-Dec-18     654,000       10,000    2,612,000      43,000
  08-Dec-18     667,000       10,000    2,558,000      41,000
   Change:         -1.9%         0.0%         2.1%        4.9%
  16-Dec-17     628,000       11,000    2,576,000      43,000
   Change:          4.1%        -9.1%         1.4%        0.0%
  2018 YTD   31,341,000      540,000  118,655,000   1,906,000
  2017 YTD   30,591,000      482,000  115,927,000   1,856,000
   Change:          2.5%        12.0%         2.4%        2.7%
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Average Weights (lbs)
Week Ending Live:          Cattle    Calves/Vealers    Hogs   Sheep/Lambs
  15-Dec-18   Estimate          1373          206         286       137
  08-Dec-18   Estimate          1372          210         285       134
  16-Dec-17     Actual          1382          242         286       139
            Dressed:
  15-Dec-18   Estimate           830          119         213        69
  08-Dec-18   Estimate           830          121         212        67
  16-Dec-17     Actual           836          142         214        69
------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Percentage of Total Cattle Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending    Steers      Heifers        Cows           Bulls
  01-Dec-18       50.3%        29.4%        19.0%        1.3%
  02-Dec-17       51.6%        28.2%        18.7%        1.6%

           Percentage of Total Hogs Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending Barrows & Gilts                 Sows                 Boars
  01-Dec-18       97.2%                      2.5%                  0.2%
  02-Dec-17       97.2%                      2.5%                  0.3%

*2017 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