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
Now the Senate must pass a version of the spending bill before the Sept. 30 deadline.
September 19, 2025 11:43 AM
·
September 19, 2025 10:20 AM
Corn and beef exports showed strong momentum, cotton sales surged, and soybean sales held steady, though China remains absent from the U.S. market.
September 18, 2025 04:43 PM
·
Disease risks remain a key factor to watch heading into fall.
September 18, 2025 03:07 PM
·
American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) economist Danny Munch explains how the Emergency Livestock Relief Program application process differs from other USDA aid programs.
September 18, 2025 01:39 PM
·
Sen. Roger Marshall, a founding member and chairman of the Make America Healthy Again caucus, joined us with his thoughts on the commission’s latest report and the key ag-related issues.
September 17, 2025 04:36 PM
·
California rancher and former NCBA President Kevin Kester joined House Republicans on Tuesday to tout provisions in the Big, Beautiful Bill that support family ranches.
September 17, 2025 01:40 PM
·
The Fertilizer Research Act, reintroduced by Sens. Grassley, Ernst, and Baldwin, would direct the USDA to study and publish public reports on competition and pricing trends in the fertilizer market.
September 16, 2025 05:08 PM
·
Allowing year-round sales of E15 nationally could deliver billions in economic gains, according to a new study from the Renewable Fuels Association and National Corn Growers Association.
September 16, 2025 02:29 PM
·
