Slaughter 22 October 2009 Average and Total Numbers of Animals

Who Died to Feed Americans in 2008

Chickens

Total number died for food: 8.13 billion (7.67 billion for meat, 458 million for eggs)

Average number killed per American meat-eater: 27.5 (26 for meat, 1.5 for eggs)

Average number consumed per American lifetime: 2,147 (2,028 for meat, 120 for eggs) Turkeys

Total number died for food: 269 million

Average number consumed per American meat-eater: 0.91

Average number consumed per American lifetime: 71 Pigs

Total number died for food: 117.6 million

Average number consumed per American meat-eater: 0.40

Average number consumed per American lifetime: 31 Steers and Calves

Total number died for food: 40.8 million

Average number consumed per American meat-eater: 0.14

Average number consumed per American lifetime: 10.8 Rabbits

Total number died for food: 2.4 million

Average number consumed per American meat-eater: 0.009

Average number consumed per American lifetime: 0.69 Fish

Total number died for food: 6.5 billion

Average number consumed per American meat-eater: 22

Average number consumed per American lifetime: 1,700 Shellfish

Total number died for food: 64 billion

Average number consumed per American meat-eater: 218

Average number consumed per American lifetime: 17,000 ALL LAND ANIMALS

Total number died for food: 8.56 billion

Average number consumed per American meat-eater: 29

Average number consumed per American lifetime: 2,261 ALL SEA ANIMALS

Total number died for food: 71 billion

Average number consumed per American meat-eater: 240

Average number consumed per American lifetime: 19,000 ALL ANIMALS

Total number died for food: 80 billion

Average number consumed per American meat-eater: 270

Average number consumed per American lifetime: 21,000



* Note: Totals may not add up because of independent rounding. Comparisons by Year The average meat-eater in 2008 ate 12 fewer animals than in 2007 (including 1.4 fewer land animals and 0.7 fewer fish), and 36 fewer than in 2006 (including 1.7 fewer land animals and 2.4 fewer fish). That’s 3 billion fewer animals killed to feed Americans in 2008 than in 2007, and about 9 billion fewer than in 2006, a three percent and ten percent decrease respectively. That includes more than 300 million fewer land animals in 2008 than in 2007 or 2006, a four percent decrease. This decrease was consistent across categories, though greatest for cattle and for chickens raised for meat; only egg-laying hens saw an increase in deaths. Total Number Died to Feed Americans (millions of animals)

Chickens

for Meat Chickens for Eggs Turkeys Pigs Steers & Calves All Land Animals Fish Shellfish All Sea Animals All Animals 2008 7,673 458.0 269.2 117.6 40.8 8,561 6,500 64,000 71,000 80,000 2007 8,024 435.4 274.2 118.4 43.5 8,898 6,700 67,000 73,000 82,000 2006 8,031 415.0 273.0 114.9 42.4 8,879 7,100 73,000 80,000 89,000



Average Number of Animals Consumed Per American Meat Eater

Chickens

for Meat Chickens for Eggs Turkeys Pigs Steers & Calves All Land Animals Fish Shellfish All Sea Animals All Animals 2008 26 1.53 0.91 0.40 0.14 28.95 22 218 240 269 2007 27 1.47 0.94 0.40 0.15 30.37 23 228 251 281 2006 28 1.42 0.94 0.40 0.15 30.60 24 251 275 306 Calculated by Noam Mohr, noammohr@gmail.com, Aug 2009 References USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, "Livestock Slaughter 2008 Summary", Mt An 1-2 -1 (09), Mar 2009,

http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/LiveSlauSu/LiveSlauSu-03-06-2009.pdf, p. 3.





http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/LiveSlauSu/LiveSlauSu-03-06-2009.pdf, p. 3. USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, "Production, Supply, and Distribution Database", created 4/9/09, http://www.fas.usda.gov/psdonline/psdhome.aspx (under Reports). From USDA-FAS attache reports, official statistics, and results of office research. 2008 data is preliminary





USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service,

http://www.nass.usda.gov/QuickStats/PullData_US.jsp





http://www.nass.usda.gov/QuickStats/PullData_US.jsp U.S. Census Bureau, "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008 (NST-EST2008-01)",

http://www.census.gov/popest/states/NST-ann-est.html.





http://www.census.gov/popest/states/NST-ann-est.html. National Center for Health Statistics, "Health, United States, 2008: With Chartbook on Trends in the Health of Americans," Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, DHHS Publication No. 2009-1232, Mar 2009,

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus08.pdf.





http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus08.pdf. VRG survey that 2.8%±3.1% of Americans don't eat animals and 1.8%±3.1% are vegan. Source:

http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2003issue3/vj2003issue3poll.htm





http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2003issue3/vj2003issue3poll.htm USDA NASS, "Meat Animals Production, Disposition, and Income: 2008 Summary", Mt An 1-1 (09), May 2009,

http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/MeatAnimPr/MeatAnimPr-05-29-2009.pdf

(pigs: p.8-11)





http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/MeatAnimPr/MeatAnimPr-05-29-2009.pdf (pigs: p.8-11) USDA APHIS Veterinary Service - National Animal Health Monitoring System, "Swine 2006 - Part I: Reference of Swine Health and Management Practices in the United States, 2006", Oct 2007, http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ceah/ncahs/nahms/swine/swine2006/Swine2006_Pt1.pdf

(Preweaning deaths: of 10.5±.1 born alive per litter, 9.4±.1 (89.1%±.4%) survive to weaning)





(Preweaning deaths: of 10.5±.1 born alive per litter, 9.4±.1 (89.1%±.4%) survive to weaning) USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service Agricultural Statistics Board, "Chicken and Eggs 2008 Summary", Pou 2-4(09), Feb 2009,

http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/nass/ChickEgg//2000s/2009/ChickEgg-02-26-2009.pdf,

p.4-5.





http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/nass/ChickEgg//2000s/2009/ChickEgg-02-26-2009.pdf, p.4-5. USDA ERS, "Agricultural Outlook: Statistical Indicators", "Table 11--US Egg Supply and Use", data as of May 2009, http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/agoutlook/aotables/. Data preliminary.





USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service, "Hatchery Production 2008 Summary", Agricultural Statistics Board, Pou 1-1-1 (09), May 2009, http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/HatcProdSu/HatcProdSu-05-15-2009.pdf, p.6,36,39.





Noam Mohr, "Sea Animal Mortality for US Consumption 2008", 2009,

email noammohr@gmail.com for a copy.





email noammohr@gmail.com for a copy. USDA APHIA Veterinary Service, "U.S. Rabbit Industry Profile", June 2002, pp.8,18, http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ceah/cei/bi/emergingmarketcondition_files/RabbitReport1.pdf.

Middle of range of 1.9-2.3 million was used herein (2.1 million).





Middle of range of 1.9-2.3 million was used herein (2.1 million). USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service Agricultural Statistics Board, "Poultry Slaughter 2008 Annual Summary", Pou 2-1(09), Feb 2009,

http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/nass/PoulSlauSu//2000s/2009/PoulSlauSu-02-25-2009.pdf, p.2. (Egg-type are "mature light")