Commercial red meat production for the United States totalled 3.50 billion
pounds in February, virtually unchanged from the 3.50 billion pounds
produced in February 2002.
 
Beef production, at 1.94 billion pounds, was 2 percent below the previous
year. Cattle slaughter totalled 2.57 million head, down 2 percent from
February 2002.  The average live weight was 1,261 pounds, up 6 pounds
from February a year ago.

February 2002 contained 20 weekdays (including one holiday)and 4
Saturdays.
February 2003 contained 20 weekdays (including one holiday)and 4
Saturdays.

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

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

            :      :  Feb   :  Jan   :  Feb  :----------------------------------

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

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

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            :      :                            Percent                    Prcnt

            :      :

Cattle No.  :      :

 Fed. Insp. : Thou :2,564.1  2,950.2  2,519.1   98    85   5,563.0  5,469.3   98

 Other      : Thou :   51.4     56.7     50.7   99    89     109.6    107.4   98

 Comm'l. 3/ : Thou :2,615.6  3,007.0  2,569.8   98    85   5,672.6  5,576.7   98

            :      :

Live Wt/Hd  :      :

 Fed. Insp. : Lbs  :1,259    1,272    1,264    100    99   1,261    1,268    101

 Other      : Lbs  :1,090    1,089    1,092    100   100   1,090    1,091    100

 Comm'l.    : Lbs  :1,255    1,268    1,261    100    99   1,258    1,265    101

            :      :

Calves No.  :      :

 Fed. Insp. : Thou :   71.2    *91.5     81.3  114    89     156.9    172.8  110

 Other      : Thou :    2.0      2.2      1.9   94    85       4.0      4.0  101

 Comm'l. 3/ : Thou :   73.2    *93.7     83.1  114    89     160.9    176.8  110

            :      :

Live Wt/Hd  :      :

 Fed. Insp. : Lbs  :  324      313      315     97   101     323      316     98

 Other      : Lbs  :  396      420      417    105    99     406      419    103

 Comm'l.    : Lbs  :  326     *318      316     97   100     324      317     98

            :      :

Hogs No.    :      :

 Fed. Insp. : Thou :7,399.7  8,681.8  7,579.9  102    87  15,951.4 16,261.8  102

 Other      : Thou :  101.5    105.7    100.4   99    95     210.4    206.1   98

 Comm'l. 3/ : Thou :7,501.2  8,787.5  7,680.3  102    87  16,161.9 16,467.8  102

            :      :

Live Wt/Hd  :      :

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

 Other      : Lbs  :  237      234      237    100   101     236      236    100

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

            :      :

Sheep&Lambs :      :

No.         :      :

 Fed. Insp. : Thou :  244.3    227.2    211.0   86    93     488.2    438.1   90

 Other      : Thou :   15.2     11.6     13.2   87   114      27.7     24.8   89

 Comm'l. 3/ : Thou :  259.4    238.8    224.2   86    94     515.9    463.0   90

            :      :

Live Wt/Hd  :      :

 Fed. Insp. : Lbs  :  139      135      135     97   100     140      135     96

 Other      : Lbs  :  100      103      102    101    99     100      102    102

 Comm'l.    : Lbs  :  137      133      133     97   100     138      133     96

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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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