USDA Total Red Meat Under Fed Inspct 04/03 13:11

SJ_LS712
St Joseph, MO          Fri Apr 03, 2026          USDA Market News
Estimated Weekly Meat Production Under Federal Inspection

     Total red meat production under Federal inspection for the week
ending Saturday, April 04, 2026 was estimated at 1006.3 million lbs.
according to the U.S.Department of Agriculture's Marketing Service.
This was 1.6 percent lower than a week ago and 5.2 percent lower
than a year ago.  Cumulative meat production for the year to date was
3.9 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)
  04-Apr-26       480.4          1.1        523.0         1.8    1006.3
  28-Mar-26       470.3          1.1        548.5         2.5    1022.4
   Change:          2.2%         0.0%        -4.7%      -28.0%     -1.6%
  05-Apr-25       513.2          0.4        544.9         2.8    1061.3
   Change:         -6.4%       175.0%        -4.0%      -35.7%     -5.2%
  2026 YTD       6342.5          6.3       7339.1        31.2   13719.1
  2025 YTD       6863.9          6.6       7371.5        32.9   14274.9
   Change:         -7.6%        -4.4%        -0.4%       -5.1%     -3.9%
(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
  04-Apr-26     533,000        5,000    2,396,000      30,000
  28-Mar-26     523,000        5,000    2,512,000      40,000
   Change:          1.9%         0.0%        -4.6%      -25.0%
  05-Apr-25     586,000        2,000    2,509,000      41,000
   Change:         -9.0%       150.0%        -4.5%      -26.8%
  2026 YTD    7,070,000       31,000   33,555,000     500,000
  2025 YTD    7,866,000       35,000   33,951,000     506,000
   Change:        -10.1%       -12.5%        -1.2%       -1.2%
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Average Weights (lbs)
Week Ending Live:          Cattle    Calves/Vealers    Hogs   Sheep/Lambs
  04-Apr-26   Estimate          1478          350         292       123
  28-Mar-26   Estimate          1477          345         292       124
  05-Apr-25     Actual          1435          325         291       136
            Dressed:
  04-Apr-26   Estimate           903          206         218        62
  28-Mar-26   Estimate           901          203         218        63
  05-Apr-25     Actual           877          192         217        69
------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Percentage of Total Cattle Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending    Steers      Heifers        Cows           Bulls
  21-Mar-26       49.7%        31.2%        17.7%        1.4%
  22-Mar-25       47.1%        33.5%        17.8%        1.5%

           Percentage of Total Hogs Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending Barrows & Gilts                 Sows                 Boars
  21-Mar-26       97.5%                      2.3%                  0.2%
  22-Mar-25       97.3%                      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]