News

All-time highs for red meat, pork production in October

More red meat was produced during October than any other month on record, including an all-time high in pork production. The USDA says commercial red meat production was 5.064 billion pounds in October 2019, an increase of 3% from October 2018. Pork production was 2.606 billion pounds, up 6% on the year, with a 6% jump in the slaughter to 12.301 million head and two-pound gain in the average live weight at 285 pounds. Beef came out at 2.438 billion pounds, slightly higher than the year before, with a 1% rise in the monthly slaughter to 2.976 million head cancelling out a three pound loss for the average live weight to 1,360 pounds.

The dairy cow slaughter in October was 286,100 head, up 30.4 million from September, but down 2.1 million from October 2018. The year to date slaughter is more than 5.315 million head, 161,000 above this time last year.

For 2019 to date, commercial red meat production is 45.541 billion pounds, 3% ahead of 2018’s record pace. That includes a 5% year to year gain for pork and 1% increase for beef.