WASHINGTON — Total commercial red meat production in the United States in January was up 3% from the previous year, the US Dept. of Agriculture said in its latest Livestock Slaughter report.

January commercial red meat production was 4,041.8 million lbs, down 7% from December 2010 but up 3% from January 2010, the USDA said.


Beef production was 2,123.7 million lbs in January, down 7% from December but up 2% from January 2010. Cattle slaughter totaled 2.74 million head, up 1% from the previous year. The average live weight of cattle at slaughter was 1,301 lbs, up 11 lbs from January 2010.

Pork production in January was 1,896.2 million lbs, down 8% from the previous month but up 5% from the previous year. Commercial hog laughter totaled 9.1 million head, up 2% from January 2010. The average live weight of slaughter hogs in January totaled 278 lbs, up 6 lbs from the previous year.