Commercial red meat production for the United States totaled 3.94 billion
pounds in May, down 2 percent from the 4.02 billion pounds produced in
May 2002.
 
Beef production, at 2.36 billion pounds, was 1 percent above the
previous year and a monthly record high for May. Cattle slaughter
totaled 3.25 million head, up 3 percent from May 2002. The average live
weight was 1,208 pounds, down 15 pounds from May a year ago.

May 2002 contained 23 weekdays (including one holiday)and 4 Saturdays.
May 2003 contained 22 weekdays (including one holiday)and 5 Saturdays.

Livestock Slaughter:  Number and Average Weights, United States 1/

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            :      :        :        :       :May 03 % of:      Jan - May 2/

            :      :  May   :  Apr   :  May  :----------------------------------

   Species  : Unit :  2002  :  2003  : 2003  : May : Apr :        :       : 03 %

            :      :        :        :       :2002 :2003 :  2002  :  2003 :of 02

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            :      :                            Percent                    Prcnt

            :      :

Cattle No.  :      :

 Fed. Insp. : Thou :3,097.9  *2,917.6 3,201.1  103   110  14,247.7 14,312.6  100

 Other      : Thou :   48.7      48.6    47.2   97    97     257.9    253.6   98

 Comm'l. 3/ : Thou :3,146.6  *2,966.3 3,248.4  103   110  14,505.6 14,566.2  100

            :      :

Live Wt/Hd  :      :

 Fed. Insp. : Lbs  :1,225     1,211   1,210     99   100   1,243    1,237    100

 Other      : Lbs  :1,074     1,095   1,094    102   100   1,085    1,095    101

 Comm'l.    : Lbs  :1,223     1,209   1,208     99   100   1,241    1,235    100

            :      :

Calves No.  :      :

 Fed. Insp. : Thou :   76.1      77.2    74.4   98    96     388.7    407.4  105

 Other      : Thou :    1.9       2.1     1.9  103    93       9.7     10.1  103

 Comm'l. 3/ : Thou :   78.0      79.3    76.3   98    96     398.4    417.5  105

            :      :

Live Wt/Hd  :      :

 Fed. Insp. : Lbs  :  329       335     341    104   102     324      324    100

 Other      : Lbs  :  411       421     418    102    99     416      418    101

 Comm'l.    : Lbs  :  330       336     343    104   102     326      327    100

            :      :

Hogs No.    :      :

 Fed. Insp. : Thou :8,215.2   8,230.2 7,705.1   94    94  40,366.6 40,248.7  100

 Other      : Thou :  107.8     103.3   104.3   97   101     530.1    514.1   97

 Comm'l. 3/ : Thou :8,323.1   8,333.5 7,809.4   94    94  40,896.7 40,762.8  100

            :      :

Live Wt/Hd  :      :

 Fed. Insp. : Lbs  :  267       268     268    100   100     268      268    100

 Other      : Lbs  :  230       233     228     99    98     235      235    100

 Comm'l.    : Lbs  :  267       268     267    100   100     267      267    100

            :      :

Sheep&Lambs :      :

No.         :      :

 Fed. Insp. : Thou :  267.3     279.6   208.6   78    75   1,329.5  1,178.0   89

 Other      : Thou :   18.5      15.9    13.3   72    83      75.4     66.6   88

 Comm'l. 3/ : Thou :  285.7     295.6   221.9   78    75   1,404.8  1,244.5   89

            :      :

Live Wt/Hd  :      :

 Fed. Insp. : Lbs  :  139       133     139    100   104     140      136     97

 Other      : Lbs  :   96       *98     107    111   109      99      103    104

 Comm'l.    : Lbs  :  137      *131     137    100   105     138      134     98

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*   Revised.

1/  Excludes slaughter on farms.

2/  Accumulated totals and percentages based on unrounded data.

3/  Totals may not equal sum of the parts due to rounding.

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