WASHINGTON — Total red meat production for the United States in July was down 3% from a year ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in its latest

July commercial red meat production was 4,124 million lbs, down 1% from June and down 3% from July 2008, the U.S.D.A. said. January-July commercial red meat production was about 28,425 million lbs, down 3% from the same period of the previous year.

Beef production was 2,270.5 million lbs in July, down 1% from June and down 4% from July 2008. Cattle slaughter totaled 2.92 million head, which was down 5% from the previous year. The average live weight of cattle at slaughter was 1,282 lbs in July, up 9 lbs from a year ago.

Dairy cow slaughter in July was 228,000 head, down 11% from June but up 9% from July 2008. January-July dairy cow slaughter totaled 1,673,000 head, up 14% from the same period last year. Beef cow slaughter for the seven-month period, meanwhile, was down 10% from last year.

Pork production in July was 1,828 million lbs, down 1% from the previous year and month. Commercial hog slaughter totaled 9.15 million head, down 3% from July 2008. The average live weight of slaughter hogs in July was 267 lbs, up 5 lbs from July 2008.