US red meat production down five percent in April

US commercial red meat production totalled 4.08 billion pounds in April, down five percent from 4.30 billion pounds in April 2008, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

Pork production totalled 1.92 billion pounds, down five percent from the previous year. Hog slaughter totalled 9.43 million head, down six percent from the year-ago period.

Average live weight increased three pounds from the previous year to 272 pounds.

Commercial red meat production for the first four months of 2009 reached 16.2 billion pounds, down three percent from 2008. Accumulated pork production was down four percent from last year.