News

Red meat production drops

Commercial red meat production fell sharply in April.

The USDA says the total of 4.2 billion pounds was down 8% on the year, including an 11% drop in beef production to 2.069 billion and a 4% decline in pork to 2.119 billion pounds.

Those decreases were due to tighter ready numbers limiting slaughter levels and lighter average weights. The cattle slaughter was 2.544 million head, 10% less than a year ago, with an average weight of 1,354 pounds, 19 lighter, while the hog slaughter was 9.77 million head, a decrease of 3%, with an average weight of 291 pounds, down 2.

The April 2023 dairy cow slaughter was 243,600 head, 62,600 lower than March, but 5,800 higher than April 2022. The year-to-date dairy cow slaughter is 1.114 million head, up 51,800 from this time last year.

The heifer and cow and sow slaughter numbers were below year ago levels, which could be a sign some operations are slowing down liquidation.

For 2023 to date, commercial red meat production is 18.141 billion pounds, 2% slower than the 2022 pace.

The USDA’s next set of annual meat production estimates is out June 9^th.