Charleston, West Virginia – Commercial red meat production during February 2024 totaled 1.0 million pounds. This was down 5 percent from February 2023. Commercial red meat production is the carcass weight after slaughter including beef, veal, pork, lamb and mutton. Individual commodity production is total live weight of commercial slaughter. Commercial cattle slaughter totaled 1,365,000 pounds live weight, down 8 percent from February 2023. Cattle slaughter totaled 1,200 head, down 100 head from the previous year. The average live weight was up 23 pounds from the previous year, at 1,168 pounds. Commercial calf slaughter was not published because data were less than level of precision shown or not applicable. Commercial hog slaughter totaled 204,000 pounds live weight, up 8 percent from last year. Hog slaughter totaled 700 head, unchanged from the previous year. The average live weight was up 12 pounds from the previous year, at 303 pounds. Commercial sheep and lamb slaughter was not published to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. United States – Commercial red meat production for the United States totaled 4.55 billion pounds in February, up 7 percent from the 4.26 billion pounds produced in February 2023. Beef production, at 2.17 billion pounds, was 4 percent above the previous year. Cattle slaughter totaled 2.61 million head, up 3 percent from February 2023. The average live weight was up 10 pounds from the previous year, at 1,384 pounds. Veal production totaled 3.6 million pounds, 6 percent below February a year ago. Calf slaughter totaled 19,600 head, down 24 percent from February 2023. The average live weight was up 57 pounds from last year, at 312 pounds. Pork production totaled 2.37 billion pounds, up 10 percent from the previous year. Hog slaughter totaled 11.0 million head, up 10 percent from February 2023. The average live weight was down 1 pound from the previous year, at 290 pounds. Lamb and mutton production, at 10.9 million pounds, was up 8 percent from February 2023. Sheep slaughter totaled 171,800 head, 11 percent above last year. The average live weight was 124 pounds, down 5 pounds from February a year ago. January to February 2024 commercial red meat production was 9.32 billion pounds, up 3 percent from 2023. Accumulated beef production was up 1 percent from last year, veal was down 9 percent, pork was up 6 percent from last year, and lamb and mutton production was up 6 percent. February 2023 contained 20 weekdays (including 1 holiday) and 4 Saturdays. February 2024 contained 21 weekdays (including 1 holiday) and 4 Saturdays
