WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD NEWS) — U.S. red meat production finished 2025 on a stronger monthly note, led by higher beef and pork output in December, even as full-year totals remained below 2024 levels. USDA data show packers ran harder late in the year, supported by more slaughter days and heavier carcass weights.
Beef production totaled 2.30 billion pounds in December, up 4 percent from a year earlier. Cattle slaughter increased 2 percent to 2.58 million head, while average live weights climbed sharply, up 32 pounds to 1,463 pounds. The weight gain accounted for much of the year-over-year increase in beef output despite a smaller national cattle herd.
Pork production reached a record December high of 2.52 billion pounds, up 8 percent from 2024. Hog slaughter rose 7 percent to 11.5 million head, with average live weights edging up 2 pounds to 293 pounds, reinforcing strong processing efficiency.
Beyond beef and pork, veal production declined sharply, down 31 percent, while lamb and mutton production rose 3 percent. For all of 2025, total red meat production fell 2 percent, with beef down 4 percent and pork down 1 percent year over year.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Heavier weights and strong late-year slaughter supported December production, but lower annual totals highlight ongoing supply tightness heading into 2026.
Tony St. James, RFD NEWS Markets Specialist
R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard joins Market Day Report for his insight on the USDA’s plan to strengthen the U.S. beef industry.
October 24, 2025 01:28 PM
·
Until a phased reopening is inked, plan for tighter feeder availability, firmer basis near border yards, and continued reliance on domestic and Canadian sources.
October 24, 2025 11:42 AM
·
Set targets and use forwards, futures, or options to manage downside while preserving room for rallies.
October 24, 2025 11:05 AM
·
RFD-TV Markets Expert Tony St. James breaks down the USDA’s newly unveiled plan to rebuild the US beef herd and the industry’s spectrum of responses to it.
October 23, 2025 03:06 PM
·
Rising demand for Comfort Colors t-shirts reinforces the pull for U.S.-grown cotton, linking rural fiber production to a fast-growing mainstream apparel brand.
October 23, 2025 03:06 PM
·
American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) economist Bernt Nelson provides an updated outlook on the current U.S. cattle market.
October 23, 2025 02:20 PM
·
