December 28, 2004

 

 

US Nebraska Beef Slaughter Increase From Year Ago

 

Nearly 50,000 more head of cattle were slaughtered in US Nebraska during November than a year ago.

 

Meanwhile, hopes of opening up the Japanese market to US beef exports are fading, according to the Japanese new service, Yomiuri Shimbun.

 

In a USDA report released Friday, Nebraska's commercial beef production in November was 542,800 head, compared to 495,000 head a year ago. Total liveweight was 721.5 million pounds, up from 629.6 million pounds a year ago, as individual liveweight, at 1,329 pounds, was 57 pounds more than a year ago.

 

Nebraska was the nation's leading cattle slaughtering state during November, with Kansas in second.

 

Nebraska also led the nation in total red meat production, with a 14 percent increase over November 2003. Total red meat production in November was 564 million pounds in dressed product, down 7 percent from October, but up from 493.5 million pounds in November of 2003. Iowa, on the strength of a record hog production, was second with 561 million pounds.

 

Nationwide, commercial red meat production for the United States totaled 3.77 billion pounds in November, up 7 percent from the 3.53 billion pounds produced in November 2003.

 

Beef production nationwide, at 1.94 billion pounds, was 9 percent above the previous year. Cattle slaughter totaled 2.54 million head, up 4 percent from November 2003. The average live weight was up 35 pounds from the previous year, at 1,271 pounds.

 

Pork production throughout the country totaled 1.8 billion pounds. The figure is a new monthly record, and was up 5 percent from the previous year. Hog kill totaled 8.96 million head, 4 percent above November 2003. The average live weight was 1 pound above the previous year, at 270 pounds.

 

Nebraska ranked fifth in the nation in hog slaughter behind Iowa, North Carolina, Illinois, and Indiana, with 597,000 head killed, an increase of more than 27,000 head from the previous year. Total live weight was 160.6 million pounds, with the average individual live weight at 269 pounds, the same as last year.

 

Nationwide, lamb and mutton production, at 16.5 million pounds, was up 1 percent from November 2003. Sheep slaughter totaled 242,100 head, 3 percent above last year. The average live weight was 136 pounds, down 2 pounds from November a year ago.

 

While November slaughter totals nationwide were up, January to November 2004 commercial red meat production was 41.5 billion pounds, down 3 percent from 2003, the USDA reported. Accumulated beef production was down 7 percent from last year, veal was down 12 percent, pork was up 3 percent from last year, and lamb and mutton production was down 3 percent.

 

Although cattle slaugher numbers were up during November, the Japanese news service, Yomiuri Shimbun, reported that the Japanese food industry has been hit hard by the effects of a ban placed on imports of US beef following the detection of cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, also known as mad cow disease, in the United States a year ago.

 

While Japanese consumers are being denied beef, Yomiuri Shimbun reported that Japanese and US governments are negotiating to resume beef imports, but the outcome doesn't look promising.

 

Japanese restaurants have switched, or are switching, to supplies from Australia and other beef-producing countries, a step that further dims prospects for US beef to re-enter the domestic market, the news service reported.

 

Australian beef imports are expected to surge to about 400,000 tons this year, from 280,000 tons in 2003.

 

Yomiuri Shimbun reported that after the two governments on Oct. 23 reached a basic agreement on the resumption of imports of cattle younger than 20 months, Japanese officials were hopeful that US beef imports could restart by spring. But imports have been placed on hold since the two sides remained divided over methods to determine the age of cattle.