Commercial red meat production during August 2023 was 4.673 billion pounds, a decline of 3% from the August 2022 record monthly high. That was due to tighter market ready numbers for cattle and lower average live weights for hogs.
The USDA says beef production was 2.363 billion pounds, a drop of 6% on the year, with a 6% decrease for the slaughter rate to 2.89 million head against a three-pound gain in the average live weight to 1,351 pounds.
