January 5, 2005

US Poultry Ready-to-Cook Weight Up 14 Percent

The USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) comment on the poultry weights and slaughter levels in their monthly Poultry Slaughter Report.

Poultry certified wholesome during November 2004 (ready-to-cook weight) totaled 3.32 billion pounds, up 14 percent from the amount certified in November 2003. Updated totals for October 2004 show that 3.42 billion pounds were certified.

The preliminary total live weight of poultry inspected during November 2004 was 4.44 billion pounds, up 13 percent from a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 3.76 billion pounds, up 15 percent from November 2003, and mature chickens at 65.1 million pounds, were up 19 percent from the previous year. Turkey inspections totaled 606 million pounds, up 5 percent, and ducks totaled 14.8 million pounds, up 16 percent from last year.

Young chickens slaughtered during November 2004 averaged 5.31 pounds per bird, up 2 percent from November 2003. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.72 pounds per bird, down 2 percent from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during November 2004 averaged 26.3 pounds per bird, up 3 percent from November 2003.

Ante-mortem condemnations during November 2004 totaled 16.8 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.38 percent of the live weight inspected, compared to 0.33 percent a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 48.0 million pounds (N.Y. dressed weight), were 1.20 percent of quantities inspected, compared with 1.02 percent a year earlier.