U.S. Red Meat Output Up in 2005

WASHINGTON - Mar 3/06 - SNS -- Red meat production for the United States totaled 45.8 billion pounds in 2005, slightly higher than the previous year, according to the USDA.

Red meat includes beef, veal, pork, and lamb and mutton. Red meat production in commercial plants totaled 45.7 billion pounds. On farm production totaled 135 million pounds.

Beef production, totaled 24.8 billion pounds, slightly higher than the previous year. Veal production totaled 165 million pounds, down 6% from last year, setting a new record low. Pork production, at 20.7 billion pounds, was slightly higher than the previous year, setting a new record high. Lamb and mutton production set a new record low, totaling 191 million pounds, 4% below the previous record low set a year ago.

Commercial cattle slaughter during 2005 totaled 32.4 million head, down 1% from 2004, with federal inspection comprising 98.3% of the total. The average live weight was 1,256 pounds, up 16 pounds from a year ago. Steers comprised 52.8% of the total federally inspected cattle slaughter, heifers 30.7%, dairy cows 7.1%, other cows 7.9%, and bulls 1.6%.

Subscribers can read the full text of the article by Clicking here