United States-Cattle-Pigs-Poultry and Dairy production.

Poultry: With broiler meat production down sharply in 2009 and chick placements continuing to be below year-earlier levels, the quarterly estimates for 2009 were revised downward, the USDA’s Economic Research Service said today. The broiler production estimate for 2009 is now 35.8 billion pounds, down 3.1 percent from 2008. First-quarter 2009 turkey meat production is estimated at 1.46 billion pounds, down almost 5 percent from a year earlier. Ending stocks for January showed a doubling in whole turkey stocks. Table egg production rose for the second consecutive month after declining in 22 of the previous 23 months.

Hogs: The estimate for commercial pork production in 2009 is creeping upward, as lower feed costs contribute to increases in expected average dressed weights for the year. Increases in average dressed weights are expected to offset production declines from reductions in the number of live swine imported from Canada this year. U.S. pork exports were 322.7 million pounds in January, down 8.7 percent year-over-year.

Cattle Trade: After good pasture conditions for much of the fall in 2008, dry weather in Mexico is causing cattle imports from Mexico to increase in the beginning of 2009. Beef exports are expected to decline slightly as demand for U.S. beef is not expected to be as strong later in the year. Beef imports are expected to increase 6 percent, but imported beef will have to compete with beef from cow slaughter, which is expected to increase again in 2009.

Cattle: Dry conditions in the Southern Plains and the Western United States and low milk prices keep commercial cow slaughter at high rates. Fed cattle prices struggle despite increasingly tighter supplies.

Dairy: Weak export demand and lower prices are expected to push milk output lower in 2009. However, lower dairy product prices have prompted stronger-than-projected domestic use, and tighter supplies have firmed price forecasts compared with earlier USDA forecasts.