March 28, 2012

Overall commercial red meat production for the US in February rises by 3% from a year earlier, according to a report from USDA.

February beef production was 2,009 million pounds, down 5% from January and down 1% from February 2011. Cattle slaughter totaled 2.56 million head, down 2% from the previous year. The average live weight of cattle at slaughter was 1,307 pounds, up 21 pounds from February 2011.

Pork production was 1,882.9 million pounds, down 5% from January but up 6% from the previous year.

Commercial hog slaughter totaled 9.04 million head, up 6% from the previous year. The average live weight of slaughter hogs was 278 pounds, up one pound from the previous year.

Veal production was 9.8 million lbs, down 6% from January as well as February 2011. The average live weight of calves at slaughter was 276 pounds, up 12 pounds from the previous year.