USDA Total Red Meat Under Fed Inspct 04/17 13:06

SJ_LS712
St Joseph, MO          Fri Apr 17, 2026          USDA Market News
Estimated Weekly Meat Production Under Federal Inspection

     Total red meat production under Federal inspection for the week
ending Saturday, April 18, 2026 was estimated at 1011 million lbs.
according to the U.S.Department of Agriculture's Marketing Service.
This was 0.7 percent higher than a week ago and 1.1 percent lower
than a year ago.  Cumulative meat production for the year to date was
3.7 percent lower compared to the previous year.

                        Meat Production (millions of pounds)
                             (excludes condemned)
Week Ending       Beef     Calf/Veal     Pork (2) Lamb/Mutton  Totals (3)
  18-Apr-26       462.4          1.0        545.5         2.1    1011.0
  11-Apr-26       461.4          1.1        539.4         1.9    1003.8
   Change:          0.2%        -9.1%         1.1%       10.5%      0.7%
  19-Apr-25       506.0          0.4        513.3         2.6    1022.3
   Change:         -8.6%       150.0%         6.3%      -19.2%     -1.1%
  2026 YTD       7261.7          6.8       8416.5        35.6   15720.6
  2025 YTD       7863.4          7.5       8422.4        38.3   16331.6
   Change:         -7.7%        -9.2%        -0.1%       -7.0%     -3.7%
(1)Previous week estimates may be revised. Year ago data are actuals.
(2) Excludes lard.      (3) Totals may not add due to rounding.
2026 totals are subject to revision
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Livestock Slaughter (head)
Week Ending   Cattle    Calves/Vealer      Hogs   Sheep/Lambs
  18-Apr-26     514,000        5,000    2,502,000      34,000
  11-Apr-26     512,000        5,000    2,472,000      30,000
   Change:          0.4%         0.0%         1.2%       13.3%
  19-Apr-25     578,000        2,000    2,367,000      45,000
   Change:        -11.1%       150.0%         5.7%      -24.4%
  2026 YTD    8,093,000       34,000   38,502,000     571,000
  2025 YTD    9,008,000       40,000   38,794,000     594,000
   Change:        -10.2%       -14.6%        -0.8%       -3.9%
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Average Weights (lbs)
Week Ending Live:          Cattle    Calves/Vealers    Hogs   Sheep/Lambs
  18-Apr-26   Estimate          1472          362         292       120
  11-Apr-26   Estimate          1476          356         292       123
  19-Apr-25     Actual          1434          356         291       116
            Dressed:
  18-Apr-26   Estimate           902          214         218        61
  11-Apr-26   Estimate           903          209         218        63
  19-Apr-25     Actual           878          211         217        59
------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Percentage of Total Cattle Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending    Steers      Heifers        Cows           Bulls
  04-Apr-26       48.6%        33.1%        16.6%        1.6%
  05-Apr-25       47.1%        35.0%        16.4%        1.5%

           Percentage of Total Hogs Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending Barrows & Gilts                 Sows                 Boars
  04-Apr-26       97.6%                      2.2%                  0.2%
  05-Apr-25       97.4%                      2.5%                  0.2%

*2025 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

[0600059D]