Livestock Slaughter December 2022

UNITED STATES HIGHLIGHTS

Commercial red meat production for the United States totaled 4.47 billion pounds in December, down 7 percent from the 4.78 billion pounds produced in December 2021.

Beef production, at 2.22 billion pounds, was 6 percent below the previous year. Cattle slaughter totaled 2.68 million head, down 5 percent from December 2021. The average live weight was down 7 pounds from the previous year, at 1,385 pounds.

Veal production totaled 4.5 million pounds, 15 percent below December a year ago. Calf slaughter totaled 32,900 head, down 15 percent from December 2021. The average live weight was unchanged from last year, at 237 pounds.

Pork production totaled 2.23 billion pounds, down 7 percent from the previous year. Hog slaughter totaled 10.3 million head, down 7 percent from December 2021. The average live weight was unchanged from the previous year, at 292 pounds.

Lamb and mutton production, at 10.9 million pounds, was down 7 percent from December 2021. Sheep slaughter totaled 176,100 head, 7 percent below last year. The average live weight was 122 pounds, down 1 pound from December a year ago.

January to December 2022 commercial red meat production was 55.5 billion pounds, down 1 percent from 2021. Accumulated beef production was up 1 percent from last year, veal was up 1 percent, pork was down 2 percent from last year, and lamb and mutton production was down 5 percent.

COLORADO Cattle Inventory Report as of January 1, 2023

The January 1, 2023, inventory of all cattle and calves in Colorado totaled 2.62 million head, down 1 percent from the January 1, 2022, inventory, according to the January 1 Cattle Survey conducted by the Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Beef cows, at 642,000 head, were up 4,000 head from the previous year. Milk cows increased 1,000 head from last year to 203,000 head. Colorado’s 2022 calf crop, at 780,000 head, is down 3 percent from 2021.

Other class estimates as of January 1, 2023, and percent changes from 2022 were as follows: Beef replacement heifers 500 pounds and over, unchanged at 135,000 head; milk replacement heifers 500 pounds and over, unchanged at 115,000 head; other heifers 500 pounds and over, down 1 percent to 585,000 head; steers 500 pounds and over, down 3 percent to 780,000 head; bulls 500 pounds and over, unchanged at 45,000 head; and calves under 500 pounds, down 8 percent to 115,000 head. The total inventory included 1.07 million head of cattle and calves on feed, down 8 percent from last year.

For a full copy of the Livestock Slaughter report, please visit www.nass.usda.gov.