News

Red meat, pork production all-time highs for July

The USDA says commercial red meat and pork production were at record monthly levels in July.

Pork totaled 2.211 billion pounds, up 11% on the year, with a 10% jump in the slaughter to 10.578 million head and a three pound gain in the average live weight at 280 pounds.

Beef production was 2.360 billion pounds, 6% more than a year ago, with a 6% increase in the kill to 2.938 million head cancelling out a four pound loss for the average live weight at 1,326 pounds. The dairy cow slaughter during July was 256,800 head, up from both June and July 2018. The year to date slaughter is 1.894 million head, about 90,000 ahead of the year ago pace.

Commercial red meat production during July was 4.589 billion pounds, 8% higher than July 2018, with the year to date total at 31.112 billion pounds, 3% ahead of 2018’s record pace. The 2019 numbers include a 1% gain for beef, so far, and a 5% jump in pork.