March 21, 2008

US broiler production in January up 6.4 percent 

Broiler production in January 2008 rose 6.4-percent over the same period in 2007 to reach 3.22 billion pounds,  according to the Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook released by USDA.

USDA said the increase in January production was due to both a jump in birds slaughtered and a 1.2 percent increase in average liveweight.

USDA also revised its first-quarter 2008 production estimate by 125 million pounds to 9.08 billion, or 5.2 percent higher than the same period in 2007.

Weekly chick placement numbers were about 3 percent higher than the same period in 2007.

In recent weeks, analysts have suggested poultry processors cut production to stave off overproduction. When Pilgrim's Pride Corp, the nation's largest chicken processor, last week announced the closure of a poultry processing facility, analysts hailed it as a positive development that should be followed by other producers.