AS-342 June 1966
Meat for the Table
K.J. Drewry, M. D. Judge, H.H. Mayo and L. L. Wilson Animal Sciences Department
Introduction
In America no food is more popular than meat (beef, veal, pork, lamb, and mutton), and this well-liked food ranks as high nutritionally as it does in popularity. Meat is the basic dish for the homemaker in planning and preparing nutritious family meals.
This publication points out the changes in meat consumption over recent years and some of the nutritional and physical characteristics of meats . This is general information for the breeder, feeder, processor, retailer and consumer.
Consumption
People are eating more red meat. The average per capita consumption of meat has increased at the rate of approximately 1 pound per year for the past 35 years. In 1964 the average consumption of these meats per person was 171.5 pounds. This represents an annual consumption of approximately 31 billion pounds.
Average per capita consumption of the individual meats during 1964 was: 99.0 pounds beef, 4.9 pounds veal, 4.6 pounds lamb and mutton, and 63.0 pounds pork. The consumption of beef and pork accounted for about 94 percent of the total meat consumed (beef 57.7 and pork 36.7), and veal, lamb and mutton accounted for 6 percent.
Consumption of the different meats has changed over the years. Table one shows
the consumption pattern for beef, lamb and mutton, pork and veal from 1950 to 1964.
Table 1. Changes in consumption per capita since 1950
Year
The United States ranks 5th in meat consumption. The top four meat-consuming countries are New Zealand, Uruguay, Australia and Argentina.
The average per capita meat consumption by species for the top 14 countries is given in Table two.
The United States, has approximately six percent of the world's land area and population and produces and consumes over 30 percent of the world's meat supply.
The increase in per capita consumption of meat is a result of personal preference and enjoyment, the nutritive bonus from meat, increased purchasing power, increased
Cooperative Extension Service, PURDUE UNIVERSITY, Lafayette, Indiana