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Red meat in cold storage up 18%

 

The USDA reports red meat in cold storage at the end of March 2015 was up sharply on the year.

Pork production has been high with market ready hog numbers larger than expected and beef demand has slowed due to high prices. Also, average weights for cattle and hogs have been above year ago levels for quite some time. However, at least for hogs, that trend may be coming to an end. For the week ending April 18th, the USDA reports the average Iowa/Southern Minnesota hog weight was 283.5 pounds, nearly three pounds lighter than a year ago.

On March 31st, 2015, red meat in cold storage totaled 1.191 billion pounds, 18% more than last year, with beef at 479.784 million pounds, also up 18%, and pork at 668.559 million pounds, 16% larger.

Frozen poultry totaled 1.103 billion pounds, a 19% increase, with chicken at 751.939 million pounds, a jump of 27%, and turkey at 347.638 million pounds, up 3%.

The USDA’s March livestock and poultry slaughter numbers are out Thursday at 3 PM Eastern/2 PM Central.