Cattle Slaughter Numbers Continue to Plummet     

Beef production continues to fall with cattle slaughter declining to 465,000 head last week. Numbers are off 7 percent from the week prior and 28 percent compared to last year. There are reports of COVID cases at 17 of the top 23 packing plants. The slower run times at plants are expected to cut production over the next six weeks by 8 percent compared to last year’s levels. Slaughter is forecast at an average of 599,200 head per week over the next six weeks and at 500,000 head for this week. Despite the reductions,…