Commercial red meat production for the United States totalled 3.70 billion
pounds in March, up 1% from the 3.68 billion pounds produced in
March 2002.
 
Beef production, at 2.05 billion pounds, was 1% below the previous
year. Cattle slaughter totaled 2.77 million head, up 1% from March
2002.  The average live weight was 1,234 pounds, down 7 pounds from March
a year ago.

March 2002 contained 21 weekdays and 5 Saturdays.
March 2003 contained 21 weekdays and 5 Saturdays.

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

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

            :      :  Mar   :  Feb   :  Mar  :----------------------------------

   Species  : Unit :  2002  :  2003  : 2003  : Mar : Feb :       :        : 03 %

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

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            :      :                            Percent                    Prcnt

            :      :

Cattle No.  :      :

 Fed. Insp. : Thou :2,687.7   2,519.1 2,719.9  101   108   8,250.7  8,189.2   99

 Other      : Thou :   50.0      50.7    50.3  101    99     159.5    157.7   99

 Comm'l. 3/ : Thou :2,737.7   2,569.8 2,770.2  101   108   8,410.3  8,346.9   99

            :      :

Live Wt/Hd  :      :

 Fed. Insp. : Lbs  :1,244     1,264   1,236     99    98   1,256    1,256    100

 Other      : Lbs  :1,089     1,092   1,107    102   101   1,090    1,096    101

 Comm'l.    : Lbs  :1,241     1,261   1,234     99    98   1,252    1,255    100

            :      :

Calves No.  :      :

 Fed. Insp. : Thou :   75.6      81.3    83.0  110   102     232.5    255.8  110

 Other      : Thou :    1.8       1.9     2.0  110   109       5.8      6.1  104

 Comm'l. 3/ : Thou :   77.4      83.1    85.1  110   102     238.3    261.9  110

            :      :

Live Wt/Hd  :      :

 Fed. Insp. : Lbs  :  323       315     318     98   100     323      317     98

 Other      : Lbs  :  429       417     415     97   100     413      418    101

 Comm'l.    : Lbs  :  324       316     323    100   102     324      319     99

            :      :

Hogs No.    :      :

 Fed. Insp. : Thou :7,879.1  *7,580.0 8,051.8  102   106  23,830.5 24,313.5  102

 Other      : Thou :  107.4     100.4   100.4   93   100     317.8    306.4   96

 Comm'l. 3/ : Thou :7,986.5   7,680.3 8,152.1  102   106  24,148.3 24,619.9  102

            :      :

Live Wt/Hd  :      :

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

 Other      : Lbs  :  239       237     242    101   102     237      238    100

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

            :      :

Sheep&Lambs :      :

No.         :      :

 Fed. Insp. : Thou :  310.7     211.0   251.6   81   119     798.9    689.7   86

 Other      : Thou :   13.6      13.2    12.6   92    95      41.4     37.4   90

 Comm'l. 3/ : Thou :  324.3     224.2   264.1   81   118     840.2    727.1   87

            :      :

Live Wt/Hd  :      :

 Fed. Insp. : Lbs  :  140       135     139    100   103     140      137     98

 Other      : Lbs  :  103       102     108    105   106     101      104    104

 Comm'l.    : Lbs  :  138       133     138    100   103     138      135     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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