USDA Total Red Meat Under Fed Inspct 04/24 13:11

SJ_LS712
St Joseph, MO          Fri Apr 24, 2026          USDA Market News
Estimated Weekly Meat Production Under Federal Inspection

     Total red meat production under Federal inspection for the week
ending Saturday, April 25, 2026 was estimated at 1018.1 million lbs.
according to the U.S.Department of Agriculture's Marketing Service.
This was 1.1 percent higher than a week ago and 0.5 percent higher
than a year ago.  Cumulative meat production for the year to date was
3.5 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)
  25-Apr-26       475.9          0.9        539.3         2.0    1018.1
  18-Apr-26       462.4          1.0        542.0         2.1    1007.5
   Change:          2.9%       -10.0%        -0.5%       -4.8%      1.1%
  26-Apr-25       485.8          0.5        524.7         2.2    1013.2
   Change:         -2.0%        80.0%         2.8%       -9.1%      0.5%
  2026 YTD       7735.4          6.9       8950.0        37.9   16730.2
  2025 YTD       8349.2          8.0       8947.1        40.5   17344.8
   Change:         -7.4%       -13.7%         0.0%       -6.4%     -3.5%
(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
  25-Apr-26     529,000        5,000    2,469,000      34,000
  18-Apr-26     514,000        5,000    2,486,000      34,000
   Change:          2.9%         0.0%        -0.7%        0.0%
  26-Apr-25     555,000        2,000    2,416,000      35,000
   Change:         -4.7%       150.0%         2.2%       -2.9%
  2026 YTD    8,620,000       36,000   40,931,000     614,000
  2025 YTD    9,563,000       42,000   41,210,000     629,000
   Change:         -9.9%       -14.5%        -0.7%       -2.4%
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Average Weights (lbs)
Week Ending Live:          Cattle    Calves/Vealers    Hogs   Sheep/Lambs
  25-Apr-26   Estimate          1473          362         293       117
  18-Apr-26   Estimate          1472          362         292       120
  26-Apr-25     Actual          1438          370         292       125
            Dressed:
  25-Apr-26   Estimate           901          214         218        60
  18-Apr-26   Estimate           902          214         218        61
  26-Apr-25     Actual           877          220         217        63
------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Percentage of Total Cattle Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending    Steers      Heifers        Cows           Bulls
  11-Apr-26       48.3%        33.1%        17.0%        1.5%
  12-Apr-25       48.5%        33.7%        16.4%        1.4%

           Percentage of Total Hogs Slaughtered by Class
Week Ending Barrows & Gilts                 Sows                 Boars
  11-Apr-26       97.4%                      2.4%                  0.2%
  12-Apr-25       97.4%                      2.4%                  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]