Slaughter still running ahead of last year

Published: 06 June, 2007

During the four-week period ended March 16, 2007, Federally Inspected Slaughter showed an average weekly kill of 629,500, down from the 631,000 of our last report. However, this compares with an average of 609,250 in the same period the previous year and represents a 4% increase over 2006.

Cattle and calves on feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 head or more totalled 11.7 million on February 1. This inventory was 3% below the previous year but 3% above 2005.

Export figures over the four-week period to March 8 still showed a drop in export sales of raw hides. China maintained its top position with 535,000 (626,500, 640,900) down from the high of 1,062,100 seven months earlier).

Hong Kong was in eighth place with 27,100 (32,700, 50,200) giving them a combined total with China of 562,100 (659,200, 691,100).

In second place, Korea took 365,400 (350,300, 234,200) and Taiwan once more came third with 223,200 (152,900, 93,900). Thailand was next with 127,400 (80,900, 43,600) followed by Mexico with 123,400 (1,000,000, 99,100).

Japan purchased 105,200 (107,600, 77,900), Vietnam 70,900 (28,400, 13,900) and Italy 13,500 (7,100, 2,700).

Uruguay came to the market for 10,200, Spain bought 9,800 (13,900, 3,100), and Indonesia 7,500 (5,800).

Canada bought 6,600 (12,700), Türkiye 1,900 (1,100) and Croatia 800.

Uruguay also purchased 34,200 calf and kip. Italy came in second with 26,100 calf and kip (900 kip), followed by Holland with 11,200 kip.

Canada took 4,400 calf skins, Mexico 2,400 kip, India 1,700 kip and Japan 500 calf (5,900 kip).

When it came to wet-blues, China once more took the lead with 229,400 which with Hong Kong's 59,700 gave them a combined total of 289,100.

Mexico took second place with 95,100 (93,100, 27,100) followed by the Dominican Republic with 51,600 (35,700, 37,100), Korea 20,300 (22,500, 15,200) and Taiwan 12,500 (19,700, 72,000).

Next up were Thailand with 5,100 (32,100). Italy slipped from first place in our last report to eighth with 4,800 (310,300, 38,200). Then came India with 3,000 (2,000) and Canada 2,900 (800). Germany accounted for 1,800 (7,600) and El Salvador and Japan both took 1,500. A month earlier Japan took 1,400.

Hong Kong was the biggest buyer of wet-blue splits taking 753,700lb, which combined with China's 122,300lb gave the region a total of 876,000lb. Korea was in second place with 537,000 (43,900lb) followed by Indonesia with 195,800, Mexico 173,200 (183,500lb) and Japan 44,000.

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