Pork and Total Red Meat Production Touches Record Highs
US - In December, pork production totaled 1.97 billion pounds, up 10 percent from the previous year, says the US Department of Agriculture. Hog kill was 9.69 million head, up nine percent from December 2006 and the average live weight increased one pound from the previous year, at 272 pounds.
28 January 2008
2 minute read
The figures are some of the highest on record and demonstrate the over supply situation currently being experieinced in the US market - and the main reason for poor prices.
Primary data for the commercial livestock slaughter estimates are obtained from electronic reports completed by inspectors from the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), USDA. They provide daily counts of animals slaughtered in Federally Inspected (FI) plants, in addition to total live and dressed weights. These counts are combined with data from State-administered Non-Federally Inspected (NFI) slaughter plants to derive total commercial slaughter estimates. More than 95 percent of the total US slaughter for any species is under Federal Inspection.
Almost 800 US livestock slaughter plants operate under Federal Inspection and more than 2,000 Non-Federally Inspected (State-inspected or custom-exempt) slaughter plants. Slaughter from State-inspected Talmedge-Aiken plants is included in FI totals. To prevent duplication in reporting between FI and NFI plants and assure all FI plants are included, certificates prepared by FSIS identifying operating status are constantly monitored.
Further Reading
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- To read the full USDA report click here. |
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- For more comment on the US market situation clicking here. |
