Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter in California feedlots totaled 450,000 head on May 1, 2014, 5 percent lower than last month, and 9 percent lower than May 2013. During April, placements of 57,000 head were 8 percent below the previous year. Marketings of 67,000 thousand head were 37 percent above April 2013. Other disappearance totaled 15,000 head.
UNITED STATES CATTLE ON FEED DOWN 1 PERCENT
Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 10.6 million head on May 1, 2014. The inventory was 1 percent below May 1, 2013.
Placements in feedlots during April totaled 1.64 million, 5 percent below 2013. Net placements were 1.55 million head. During April, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 385,000, 600-699 pounds were 255,000, 700-799 pounds were 396,000, and 800 pounds and greater were 600,000.
Marketings of fed cattle during April totaled 1.78 million, 2 percent below 2013. Marketings for April are the lowest for the month since the series began in 1996.
Other disappearance totaled 83,000 during April, 20 percent above 2013.
CALIFORNIA MILK PRODUCTION
California milk producers produced 3.68 billion pounds of milk in April 2014. This was 3 percent below March 2014, and 2 percent above April 2013.
Monthly milk per cow averaged 2,065 pounds, 75 pounds less than March 2014.
PACIFIC REGIONAL COMMERCIAL SLAUGHTER
California’s production of red meat during April 2014 totaled 138.7 million pounds (dressed weight), 3 percent lower than the previous month, and 4 percent lower than April 2013. This figure includes slaughter in Federally-inspected and State-inspected plants, but excludes slaughter done on farms. In April 2014, the average live weight of cattle slaughtered in California was 1,295 pounds, calves 102 pounds, sheep & lambs 145 pounds, and hogs 249 pounds.
In Nevada, 100,000 pounds of red meat was produced in April 2014, and 700,000 pounds was produced in Hawaii.
UNITED STATES COMMERCIAL RED MEAT PRODUCTION DOWN 3 PERCENT FROM LAST YEAR
Commercial red meat production for the United States totaled 3.98 billion pounds in April, down 3 percent from the 4.09 billion pounds produced in April 2013.
Beef production, at 2.04 billion pounds, was 4 percent below the previous year. Cattle slaughter totaled 2.59 million head, down 5 percent from April 2013. The average live weight was up 10 pounds from the previous year, at 1,306 pounds.
Veal production totaled 8.4 million pounds, 8 percent below April a year ago. Calf slaughter totaled 48,700 head, down 17 percent from April 2013. The average live weight was up 28 pounds from last year, at 294 pounds.
Pork production totaled 1.91 billion pounds, down 2 percent from the previous year. Hog slaughter totaled 8.85 million head, down 5 percent from April 2013. The average live weight was up 10 pounds from the previous year, at 287 pounds.
Lamb and mutton production, at 15.2 million pounds, was up 13 percent from April 2013. Sheep slaughter totaled 221,000 head, 15 percent above last year. The average live weight was 137 pounds, down 3 pounds from April a year ago.
January to April 2014 commercial red meat production was 15.7 billion pounds, down 3 percent from 2013. Accumulated beef production was down 5 percent from last year, veal was down 8 percent, pork was down slightly from last year, and lamb and mutton production was up 2 percent.
April 2013 contained 22 weekdays (including 0 holidays) and 4 Saturdays. April 2014 contained 22 weekdays (including 0 holidays) and 4 Saturdays.
View the Pacific Region Livestock Report from USDA/NASS. (.pdf)