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031230 Weekly Hog Price Summary

December 19, 2003

AgWeb News - Terminal cash hog prices this Friday ended mixed compared to a week earlier. The live prices this Friday morning were $1 higher to 2 lower per cwt compared to 7 days earlier. Top live prices this Friday morning for select markets were: Peoria $33 per cwt, St. Paul $33, Sioux Falls $34, and interior Missouri $31.

Hog slaughter this week under Federal Inspection was estimated at 2.225 million head -- up 2.2% from a year earlier and the largest weekly slaughter for 2003.

Average prices for 185-pound carcasses in the negotiated trade on Friday morning by areas were $0.90 higher to $1.88 lower compared to a week earlier. The average price for a 185-pound carcass with 0.9-1.0-inch back fat, 6-square-inch loin 2 inches deep were: western Cornbelt $46.26, eastern Cornbelt $47.09, Iowa-Minnesota $46.08 and nation $46.69.

Pork product prices were also mixed this Friday at noon compared to a week earlier. Loins were $4.64 per cwt higher at $96.89 per cwt, Boston butts were $4.71 per cwt lower at $56.29 per cwt, 17-20-pound hams were $6.15 per cwt lower at $40.85 per cwt and 12-14-pound bellies were not quoted last week. 14-16-pound bellies this Friday at noon were $81 per cwt.

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