Red Meat Output Slips in 2001

WASHINGTON - Mar 1/02 - STAT -- Red meat production in the United States slipped below year the record set in 2000, according to the final USDA slaughter report covering the 2001 calendar year.

Red meat production in commercial plants and on farms for the United States totaled 45.8 billion pounds in 2001, slightly lower than the record high set in 2000. Red meat includes beef, veal, pork, and lamb and mutton. Red meat production in commercial plants totaled 45.7 billion pounds.

Beef production, at 26.2 billion pounds, fell 3% below the record high set last year. Veal production totaled 204 million pounds, down 9% from last year and a new record low. Pork production, at 19.2 billion pounds, was slightly below the record high set in 1999. Lamb and mutton production totaled 228 million pounds, fell 3% below a year ago and a new record low.

Commercial cattle slaughter during 2001 totaled 35.4 million head, down 2% from 2000, with federal inspection comprising 98.3% of the total. The average live weight was 1,221 pounds, up 2 pounds from a year ago. Steers comprised 49.2% of the total federally inspected slaughter, heifers 32.7%, dairy cows 7.4%, other cows 8.9%, and bulls 1.8%.

Commercial calf slaughter totaled 1.01 million head, down 11% from a year ago with 97.4% under federal inspection. The average live weight was 320 pounds, up 4 pounds from a year earlier.

Commercial hog slaughter totaled 98.0 million head, virtually unchanged from 2000 with 98.5% of the hogs slaughtered under federal inspection. The average live weight was up 2 pounds from last year, at 264 pounds. Barrows and gilts comprised 96.6% of the total federally inspected slaughter.

Commercial sheep and lamb slaughter, at 3.22 million head, was down less than 7% from 2000 with 95.1% comprised by federal inspection. The average live weight rose 5 pounds from 2000 to 140 pounds.

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