From USDA NASS
Charleston, West Virginia – Commercial red meat production during December 2023 totaled 1.1 million pounds. This was up 11 percent from December 2022. 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 1,572,000 pounds live weight, up 16 percent from December 2022. Cattle slaughter totaled 1,500 head, up 200 head from the previous year. The average live weight was up 21 pounds from the previous year, at 1,043 pounds.
Commercial calf slaughter was not published to avoid disclosing individual operations.
Commercial hog slaughter totaled 199,000 pounds live weight, down slightly from last year. Hog slaughter totaled 700 head, unchanged from the previous year. The average live weight was up 13 pounds from the previous year, at 284 pounds.
Commercial sheep and lamb slaughter was not published to avoid disclosing individual operations.
United States – Commercial red meat production for the United States totaled 4.55 billion pounds in December, up 2 percent from the 4.47 billion pounds produced in December 2022.
Beef production, at 2.19 billion pounds, was 2 percent below the previous year. Cattle slaughter totaled 2.59 million head, down 3 percent from December 2022. The average live weight was up 17 pounds from the previous year, at 1,401 pounds.
Veal production totaled 3.9 million pounds, 14 percent below December a year ago. Calf slaughter totaled 22,500 head, down 32 percent from December 2022. The average live weight was up 56 pounds from last year, at 293 pounds.
Pork production totaled 2.34 billion pounds, up 5 percent from the previous year. Hog slaughter totaled 10.8 million head, up 5 percent from December 2022. The average live weight was down 1 pound from the previous year, at 291 pounds.
Lamb and mutton production, at 10.7 million pounds, was down 3 percent from December 2022. Sheep slaughter totaled 182,400 head, 2 percent above last year. The average live weight was 115 pounds, down 7 pounds from December a year ago.
January to December 2023 commercial red meat production was 54.4 billion pounds, down 2 percent from 2022. Accumulated beef production was down 5 percent from last year, veal was down 11 percent, pork was up 1 percent from last year, and lamb and mutton production was down 1 percent.
December 2022 contained 22 weekdays (including 1 holiday) and 5 Saturdays.
December 2023 contained 21 weekdays (including 1 holiday) and 5 Saturdays.