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                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.15

                       ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION AGREEMENT

         THIS ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION AGREEMENT (this "Agreement") is entered
into this 19th day of September 2002, by and among HMTF Rawhide, L.P., a
Delaware limited partnership (the "Assignor") and Swift & Company, a Delaware
corporation (the "Assignee"),. Capitalized terms used herein but not defined
herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Commitment Letter (as defined
below) or the exhibits thereto.

         WHEREAS, the Assignor, ConAgra Foods, Inc., a Delaware corporation
("ConAgra"), and S&C Holdco, Inc., a Delaware corporation n/k/a Swift Foods
Company, entered into an Agreement dated as of May 20, 2002 (as amended, the
"Acquisition Agreement"), whereby they agreed that the Assignor would acquire an
ownership interest in Swift Foods Company which would acquire certain companies
owned by ConAgra;

         WHEREAS, the Assignor, Citicorp North America, Inc., Salomon Smith
Barney Inc., JPMorgan Chase Bank, and J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. entered into
the Project Cattle $550,000,000 Senior Secured Credit Facilities Amended and
Restated Commitment Letter dated as of September 3, 2002 (as amended, the
"Commitment Letter") and the Project Cattle $550,000,000 Senior Secured Credit
Facilities Amended and Restated Fee Letter dated as of September 3, 2002 (as
amended, the "Fee Letter");

         WHEREAS, the Assignor, Salomon Smith Barney Inc. and J.P. Morgan
Securities Inc. entered into the Project Cattle Engagement Letter dated as of
September 3, 2002 (as amended, the "Engagement Letter");

         WHEREAS, Section 2.2.6(iii) of the Acquisition Agreement requires that
the Assignor assign its rights under the Engagement Letter to the Assignee, that
the Assignee assume all of the Assignor's obligations under the Engagement
Letter and that the Assignor be released from all obligations under the
Engagement Letter;

         WHEREAS, Section 8 of the Engagement Letter authorizes the Assignor to
assign the Engagement Letter to the Assignee prior to, and in contemplation of,
the Acquisition; provided that, the Assignee assumes all of the Assignor's
obligations under the Engagement Letter and all of the Assignor's obligations
thereunder terminate; and

         WHEREAS, the parties hereby desire to effectuate the assignment of
rights and assumption of obligations required by Section 2.2.6(iii) of the
Acquisition Agreement.

         NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, the covenants set
forth herein and the benefits to be derived herefrom, the parties hereto hereby
agree as follows:

1. Assignment and Assumption of Assignor's Interest.

                  The Assignor hereby assigns, transfers and conveys to the
         Assignee without recourse and without representation or warranty, and
         the Assignee hereby receives and accepts from the Assignor, all of the
         Assignor's rights under the Engagement Letter. In consideration
         thereof, the Assignee hereby assumes all of the Assignor's liabilities
         and obligations under the Engagement Letter and agrees to be bound by
         all of the terms of

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         such Engagement Letter, and the obligations of the Assignor under such
         Engagement Letter hereby terminate in accordance with Section 8 of the
         Engagement Letter.

2. Miscellaneous.

         a.       This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
                  accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

         b.       This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts,
                  any one of which need not contain the signatures of more than
                  one party, but all such counterparts taken together when
                  delivered shall constitute one and the same agreement.

         c.       This Agreement and the instruments or agreements referred to
                  herein contain the complete agreement among the parties and
                  supersede any prior understandings, agreements or
                  representations by or between the parties, written or oral
                  which may have related to the subject matter hereof in any
                  way.

         d.       This Agreement may only be amended in a writing executed by
                  all parties hereto.

                                    * * * * *

                                       2
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         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused their authorized
representatives to execute this Assignment and Assumption Agreement on the date
first written above.

                               HMTF RAWHIDE, L.P.

                                  By: HMTF RW, L.L.C., its general partner

                                  By: Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst Equity
                                      Fund V, L.P., its sole member

                                  By: HM5/GP LLC, its general partner

                                  By: /s/ EDWARD HERRING
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      Edward Herring
                                      Vice President

                               SWIFT & COMPANY

                               By:    /s/ DANNY C. HERRON
                                      ------------------------------------------
                               Name:  Danny Herron
                               Title: Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

   [Signature Page to Assignment and Assumption Agreement - Engagement Letter]<PAGE>

                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.16

                       ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION AGREEMENT

         THIS ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION AGREEMENT (this "Agreement") is entered
into this 19th day of September 2002, by and among HMTF Rawhide, L.P., a
Delaware limited partnership (the "Assignor"), Swift & Company, a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), as an assignee, S&C Australia Holdco Pty. Ltd., a
New South Wales, Australia company, as an assignee, and Australia Meat Holdings
Pty. Limited, a Queensland, Australia company, as an assignee (collectively,
the "Assignees"). Capitalized terms used herein but not defined herein shall
have the meanings set forth in the Commitment Letter (as defined below) or the
exhibits thereto.

         WHEREAS, the Assignor, ConAgra Foods, Inc., a Delaware corporation
("ConAgra"), and S&C Holdco, Inc., a Delaware corporation n/k/a Swift Foods
Company, entered into an Agreement dated as of May 20, 2002 (as amended, the
"Acquisition Agreement"), whereby they agreed that the Assignor would acquire an
ownership interest in Swift Foods Company which would acquire certain companies
owned by ConAgra;

         WHEREAS, the Assignor, Citicorp North America, Inc., Salomon Smith
Barney Inc., JPMorgan Chase Bank and J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. entered into
the Project Cattle $550,000,000 Senior Secured Credit Facilities Amended and
Restated Commitment Letter dated as of September 3, 2002 (as amended, the
"Commitment Letter") and the Project Cattle $550,000,000 Senior Secured Credit
Facilities Amended and Restated Fee Letter dated as of September 3, 2002 (as
amended, the "Fee Letter");

         WHEREAS, Section 2.2.6(i) of the Acquisition Agreement requires that
the Assignor assign its rights under the Commitment Letter and the Fee Letter to
the Assignees, that the Assignees assume all of the Assignor's obligations under
the Commitment Letter and the Fee Letter and that the Assignor be released from
all obligations under the Commitment Letter and the Fee Letter;

         WHEREAS, Section 11 of the Commitment Letter authorizes the Assignor to
assign the Commitment Letter and the Fee Letter to the Company prior to, and in
contemplation of, the Acquisition; provided that, the Company assumes all of the
Assignor's obligations under the Commitment Letter and the Fee Letter and all of
the Assignor's obligations thereunder terminate; and

         WHEREAS, the parties hereby desire to effectuate the assignment of
rights and assumption of obligations required by Sections 2.2.6(i) of the
Acquisition Agreement.

         NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, the covenants set
forth herein and the benefits to be derived herefrom, the parties hereto hereby
agree as follows:

1. Assignment and Assumption of Assignor's Interest.

                  The Assignor hereby assigns, transfers and conveys to the
         Assignees without recourse and without representation or warranty, and
         the Assignees hereby receive and accept from the Assignor, all of the
         Assignor's rights under the Commitment Letter and the Fee Letter. In
         consideration thereof, the Assignees hereby assume all of the

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         Assignor's liabilities and obligations under the Commitment Letter and
         the Fee Letter and agree to be bound by all of the terms of such
         Commitment Letter and Fee Letter, and the obligations of the Assignor
         under such Commitment Letter and Fee Letter hereby terminate in
         accordance with Section 11 of the Commitment Letter.

2. Miscellaneous.

         a.       This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
                  accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

         b.       This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts,
                  any one of which need not contain the signatures of more than
                  one party, but all such counterparts taken together when
                  delivered shall constitute one and the same agreement.

         c.       This Agreement and the instruments or agreements referred to
                  herein contain the complete agreement among the parties and
                  supersede any prior understandings, agreements or
                  representations by or between the parties, written or oral
                  which may have related to the subject matter hereof in any
                  way.

         d.       This Agreement may only be amended in a writing executed by
                  all parties hereto.

                                    * * * * *

                                       2
<PAGE>

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused their authorized
representatives to execute this Assignment and Assumption Agreement on the date
first written above.

                            HMTF RAWHIDE, L.P.

                                By: HMTF RW, L.L.C., its general partner

                                By: Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst Equity
                                    Fund V, L.P., its sole member

                                By: HM5/GP LLC, its general partner

                                By: /s/ EDWARD HERRING
                                    ------------------------------------------
                                    Edward Herring
                                    Vice President

                          SWIFT & COMPANY

                          By:    /s/ DANNY C. HERRON
                                 -------------------------------------------
                          Name:  Danny Herron
                          Title: Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

                          S&C AUSTRALIA HOLDCO PTY. LTD.

                          By:      /s/ PETER WHITE     /s/ KEN FLANDERS
                             -----------------------------------------------
                          Name:    Peter White         Ken Flanders
                               ---------------------------------------------
                          Title:   Director            Secretary
                                --------------------------------------------

                          AUSTRALIA MEAT HOLDINGS PTY. LIMITED

                          By:      /s/ PETER WHITE     /s/ KEN FLANDERS
                             -----------------------------------------------
                          Name:    Peter White         Ken Flanders
                               ---------------------------------------------
                          Title:   Director            Secretary
                                --------------------------------------------

         [Signature Page to Assignment, Assumption and Release Agreement
                       - Commitment Letter and Fee Letter]

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