In November, slaughter was higher year-over-year. While the increase in total cattle slaughter can be attributed to the additional slaughter day in November 2021 relative to a year prior, the average pace of fed cattle slaughter was higher on a per-weekday basis, with Saturday slaughter averaging lower.

Based on the latest USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) federally inspected Livestock Slaughter report, the inferred (federally inspected production/federally inspected head slaughtered) carcass weight for September is 827.1 pounds, while the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) weekly actual and estimated federally inspected Livestock Slaughter reports showed that the inferred weight for October was 831.8 pounds, about 4.7 pounds heavier month-over-month.

On Sunday, May 30, JBS Foods, the world’s largest meatpacker, was the victim of a cyberattack that resulted in the closure of nine of its plants in the U.S. on Tuesday, June 1.

As reported by the U.S. Drought Monitor on May 4, 2021, 66% of the country was experiencing some level of drought, compared to just 31% the same week last year (see Figure 1).

Preliminary March 2021 federally inspected slaughter volume was up by 75,000 head from a year ago, totaling 2.95 million head, due to one extra slaughter day relative to March 2020.

The severe winter event in mid-February that dipped as far south as Texas disrupted packing plant operations, further-processing facilities and delivery of cattle to plants.

The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released its semiannual Cattle report on Jan. 29. The total number of cattle and calves on Jan. 1, 2021, was estimated at 93.6 million head, nearly 200,000 head lower than the previous year.

For the final quarter of 2020, beef production was lowered 80 million pounds on fewer-than-expected cattle slaughtered in December. This decline was particularly driven by fewer steers and heifers in the slaughter mix. As a result, 2020 beef production is forecast at 27.2 billion pounds, almost unchanged from 2019 production levels.

For the final quarter of 2020, beef production was raised 15 million pounds on greater expected non-fed cattle slaughter that was partially offset by lower average cattle carcass weights. As a result, 2020 beef production is forecast at 27.2 billion pounds.

Despite the challenges facing the industry at the beginning of the third quarter, the beef industry has processed more fed cattle in third-quarter 2020 than the previous year.