December trade statistics were recently released which finalize the 2019 year. Pork exports were record large at 6.3 billion lbs. (carcass weight) for 2019, exceeding the prior year’s record by 7.6% (444.9 million lbs.). Beef exports totaled 3.0 billion pounds, down 4.1% from the prior year. Broiler meat exports were 7.1 billion pounds, up marginally by 0.6% from last year.
Despite ending the year with higher feeder lamb prices, ewe flocks did not signal they were expanding in 2020. All sheep and lambs on January 1, 2020 fell 30,000 head compared to last year, a 1% decline and the smallest inventory number on record. The breeding herd was flat, but ewes 1 year and older saw a small decline. Lamb producers in Colorado, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee increased the number of replacement lambs held, but that total was only 10,000 head above last year, or up 2%. Market lambs in categories under 105 pounds showed
