News

August red meat production slips 2%

Commercial red meat production in August was 4.592 billion pounds.

The USDA says that was down 2% on the year, with a 3% decline in beef and a slightly lower move for pork as slower processing paces for all types of cattle and hogs canceled out higher average live weights.

Beef production was 2.289 billion pounds with a slaughter of 2.702 million head, a drop of 7%, and an average live weight of 1,388 pounds, 37 heavier. Pork production was 2.29 billion pounds with a slaughter of 10.904 million head, 2% lower, and an average live weight of 282 pounds, a gain of 4.

The dairy cow slaughter for August 2024 was 231,300 head, up 5,400 from July, but down 43,900 from August 2023. The year to date dairy cow slaughter is 3,762,500 head, 652,700 head behind a year ago.

For 2024 to date, red meat production is 36.368 billion pounds, 1% ahead of 2023, with a 2% increase for pork to 18.35 billion pounds partially canceled out by a 1% decrease in beef at 17.901 billion pounds.

The USDA’s next round of annual red meat production estimates is out October 11^th.