US poultry ready-to-cook weight up slightly

The USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has reported a small increase in poultry ready-to-cook (RTC) weights in its monthly Poultry Slaughter report for April 2010.

Poultry-certified wholesome during April 2010 (ready-to-cook weight) totalled 3.54 billion pounds, up slightly from the amount certified in April 2009. The March 2010 revised certified total at 3.70 billion pounds, was up 5% from March 2009. The March revision represented an increase of 677,000 pounds from last month's preliminary pounds certified.

The preliminary total live weight of poultry inspected during April 2010 was 4.70 billion pounds, down slightly from a year ago. Young chickens inspected totalled 4.05 billion pounds, up 1% from April 2009. Mature chickens, at 65.3 million pounds, were down seven% from the previous year. Turkey inspections totalled 568 million pounds, down five% from a year ago.

Young chickens slaughtered during April 2010 averaged 5.68 pounds per bird, up 2% from April 2009. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.34 pounds per bird, down 8% from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during April 2010 averaged 29.7 pounds per bird, up 1% from April 2009.

Ante-mortem condemnations during April 2010 totalled 10.3 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.22% of the live weight inspected, as compared with 0.26% a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 34.6 million pounds, were 0.97% of quantities inspected, as compared with 1.07% a year earlier.