Totaling 2.27 billion lbs., beef production was 2 percent above the previous year. Cattle slaughter totaled 2.96 million head, up 2 percent from March 2010. Compared to March totals in the previous year, the average live weight was up 3 lbs. at 1,276 lbs.
Veal production totaled 12.1 million lbs., which was 1 percent below March 2010. Calf slaughter totaled 72,900 head, down 9 percent from March 2010. Compared to March 2010, the average live weight in March 2011 increased 24 lbs. and totaled 283 lbs.
Pork production totaled 2.05 billion lbs., up 1 percent from the previous year. Hog slaughter totaled 9.87 million head, down 2 percent from March 2010. The average live weight in March was up 6 lbs. from March in the previous year, totaling 278 lbs.
Totaling 14.1 million lbs., lamb and mutton production was down 20 percent from
March 2010. Sheep slaughter totaled 193,900 head, 26 percent below March last year. The average live weight was 146 lbs., an 11 percent increase from March a year ago.
From January to March 2011, commercial red-meat production total 12.2 billion lbs., up 2 percent from the same time period in 2010. Accumulated beef production was up 3 percent from last year, veal was down 3 percent, pork was up 2 percent from last year and lamb and mutton production was down 16 percent.
