Commercial red meat production for the United States totalled 3.88 billion pounds in December, up slightly from the 3.86 billion pounds produced in December 2002.

Beef production, at 1.97 billion pounds, was 6% below the previous year.  Cattle slaughter totalled 2.67 million head, down 4% from December 2002.  The average live weight was down 21 pounds from the previous year, at 1,244 pounds.

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