Hides and Skins: Net sales of 305,300 pieces for 2015, all whole cattle hides, were down 27 percent from the previous week and 23 percent from the prior 4-week average. Increases were primarily for China (182,200 pieces), South Korea (82,000 pieces), Taiwan (16,000 pieces), Mexico (7,300 pieces), and Thailand (6,900 pieces). Decreases were reported for the Netherlands (800 pieces). Exports of 409,300 pieces were down 9 percent from the previous week and 8 percent from the prior 4-week average. Whole cattle hide exports of 403,900 pieces were primarily to China (259,900 pieces), South Korea (75,000 pieces), Taiwan (32,000 pieces), Mexico (22,700 pieces), and Italy (7,000 pieces).

Net sales of 190,100 wet blues for 2015 were down 27 percent from the previous week, but up 3 percent from the prior 4-week average. Increases were reported for China (105,500 grain splits and 26,300 unsplit), the Dominican Republic (17,400 unsplit), Mexico (15,400 grain splits and 200 unsplit), and South Korea (7,900 unsplit). Decreases were reported for Thailand (200 unsplit). Exports of 162,400 wet blues were primarily to Italy (38,300 unsplit and 8,300 grain splits), China (27,200 unsplit and 13,700 grain splits), and Mexico (16,800 grain splits and 3,200 unsplit). Net sales of splits totaling 1,109,400 pounds for 2015 for Hong Kong (849,700 pounds), South Korea (214,500 pounds), and Thailand (38,100 pounds), were partially offset by decreases for Taiwan (14,900 pounds). Exports of 1,790,200 pounds were reported to South Korea (1,116,500 pounds), Hong Kong (507,100 pounds), China (128,500 pounds), and Thailand (38,100 pounds).