October 24, 2005

US red meat output up one percent in September 2005
 

According to the USDA, US red meat output reached 3.93 billion pounds in September 2005, up one percent year-on-year.

Beef output in September totalled 2.16 billion pounds, up three percent compared with the same period last year. Cattle slaughter during the same period rose one percent year-on-year.

Veal output rose two percent year-on-year, although calf slaughter fell by 10 percent compared with September 2004. This was due to an increase in the average live weight of calves.

Meanwhile, pork output fell two percent year-on-year to 1.74 billion pounds. Hog slaughter fell one percent to 8.87 million head.

Lamb and mutton output fell 4 percent to 15.6 million pounds, while sheep slaughter fell five percent to 231,300 head.

The cumulative commercial red meat output for January to September 2005 was 33.9 billion pounds. Cumulative beef and pork output during the same period was up slightly and one percent respectively from 2004. Meanwhile, cumulative veal output fell seven percent year-on-year.