SJ_LS712
St Joseph, MO          Fri Jun 27, 2008          USDA Market News
Estimated Weekly Meat Production Under Federal Inspection

**The next report will be published on Monday, July 7, 2008 due to
federal holiday.**

     Total red meat production under Federal inspection for the week
ending Saturday, June 28, 2008 was estimated at 970 million lbs.
according to the U.S.Department of Agriculture's Marketing Service.
This was 2.1 percent higher than a week ago and 4.6 percent higher
than a year ago.  Cumulative meat production for the year to date was
5.3 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-Jun-08       538.7          2.6        425.8         2.9     970.0
  21-Jun-08       527.8          2.6        416.8         3.0     950.2
   Change:          2.1%         0.0%         2.2%       -3.3%      2.1%
  30-Jun-07       535.4          2.6        386.0         3.1     927.1
   Change:          0.6%         0.0%        10.3%       -6.5%      4.6%
  2008 YTD      12969.5         66.4      11452.1        85.2   24573.2
  2007 YTD      12723.0         74.0      10443.1        89.7   23329.8
   Change:          1.9%       -10.3%         9.7%       -5.0%      5.3%
(1)Previous week estimates may be revised. Year ago data are actuals.
(2) Excludes lard.      (3) Totals may not add due to rounding.
2008 totals are subject to revision
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Livestock Slaughter (head)
Week Ending   Cattle    Calves/Vealers     Hogs   Sheep/Lambs
  28-Jun-08     706,000       16,000    2,130,000      41,000
  21-Jun-08     694,000       16,000    2,081,000      42,000
   Change:          1.7%         0.0%         2.4%       -2.4%
  30-Jun-07     696,000       15,000    1,945,000      46,000
   Change:          1.4%         6.7%         9.5%      -10.9%
  2008 YTD   16,905,000      397,000   56,672,000   1,184,000
  2007 YTD   16,730,000      382,000   51,722,000   1,263,000
   Change:          1.0%         3.8%         9.6%       -6.3%
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Average Weights (lbs)
Week Ending Live:          Cattle    Calves/Vealers    Hogs   Sheep/Lambs
  28-Jun-08   Estimate          1259          273         268       143
  21-Jun-08   Estimate          1256          277         268       144
  30-Jun-07     Actual          1258          293         266       137
            Dressed:
  28-Jun-08   Estimate           765          162         200        72
  21-Jun-08   Estimate           763          165         200        72
  30-Jun-07     Actual           772          175         199        69
------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Percentage of Total Cattle Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending    Steers      Heifers        Cows           Bulls
  14-Jun-08       52.8%        28.8%        16.5%        1.8%
  16-Jun-07       52.7%        31.2%        14.5%        1.6%

           Percentage of Total Hogs Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending Barrows & Gilts                 Sows                 Boars
  14-Jun-08       96.2%                      3.4%                  0.4%
  16-Jun-07       96.3%                      3.2%                  0.5%

*2007 slaughter totals adjusted to reflect NASS revisions
Source: USDA Market News, St Joseph, MO
        816-238-0678   e-mail stjoe.lgmn@usda.gov
        www.ams.usda.gov/LSMarketNews

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