November 29, 2010

US October red meat production down from 2009

Commercial red meat production at US packing plants for October 2010 totalled 17.8 million pounds, down 8% in contrast to last October, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Accumulated red meat production between January and October 2010 amounted to 170.4 million pounds, down 11% from the comparable period in the previous year.

Commercial red meat production for the US totalled 4.27 billion pounds in October, down 3% from the 4.39 billion pounds produced in last October. Beef production, at 2.24 billion pounds, was 2% lower than the previous year. Cattle slaughter totalled 2.87 million head, down 1% from October 2009. The average live-weight was down 14 pounds from the previous year at 1,298 pounds.

Veal production totalled 11.4 million pounds, 7% below the pervious October. Calf slaughter totalled 71,400 head, down 15% from October 2009. The average live weight was up 26 pounds from last year, at 275 pounds.

Pork production totalled two billion pounds, down 4% from the previous year. Hog kill totalled 9.73 million head, down 6% from October 2009. The average live weight was up 4 pounds from the previous year, at 276 pounds.

Commercial red meat production from January to October 2010 was 40.4 billion pounds, down 2% from 2009. Accumulated beef production was down slightly from last year, veal was down 2% and pork was down 4% from last year.