News
September red meat production down on year
The USDA says pork and beef production during September 2021 was below September 2020 levels. Slaughter rates were slower and average weights were lighter.
Beef production was 2.299 billion pounds, down 2% on the year with a 1% decline in slaughter to 2.789 million head and a 14-pound loss for the average live weight at 1,365 pounds.
September’s dairy cow slaughter was 264,600 head, up 3,200 from August and 14,200 head from September 2020. The year-to-date slaughter is 2.337 million head, 354,000 ahead of the year ago pace.
Pork was pegged at 2.266 billion pounds, 3% lower, with slaughter slowing by 2% to 10.761 million head and the average live weight down two pounds at 283 pounds.
Veal and lamb and mutton production notched record monthly lows.
September’s red meat total was 4.58 billion pounds, 3% less than last year, with the year to date total at 41.459 billion pounds, 1% ahead of the 2020 pace.
