August 23, 2007
US broiler production shows four consecutive quarters of decline
US broiler production was down 1.3 percent for the second quarter to 9 billion pounds, according to a USDA report released Monday (Aug 20).
The report, Livestock, Dairy and Poultry outlook noted that this decline meant that US broiler production shown four consecutive quarters of declines year-on-year.
Broiler production was down 4.2 percent in June, compared to the year before.
In the first half of 2007, broiler meat production was 17.6 billion pounds, down 2.7 percent from the same period in 2006.
The number of broilers slaughtered was 4.4 billion, down 1.4 percent from a year earlier. The average broiler liveweight at slaughter was 5.48 pounds, up 0.3 percent from the first half of 2006.
The relatively small decline in birds slaughtered and the increase in the average liveweight normally would have been expected to produce a larger amount of meat.
However, over the first 6 months of 2007, the amount of meat produced per bird has consistently been lower than in the previous year.
Still, broiler meat production is expected to total 18.1 billion pounds during the second half of 2007, up 2.3 percent from the same period in 2006.
The growth in production is expected to come as more birds were being placed for growout and higher liveweights at slaughter.
Higher prices for the last six months would also goad processors into increasing production.
However, the increase would be slightly dampened by higher feed and energy costs
If feed prices do not see a sharp rise in the next few months, processors would continue to expand production in the second half of 2007.
The number of chicks being placed weekly for growout has averaged approximately 178 million over the last 5 weeks (July 14 to August 11), up 2.2 percent from the same weekly period in 2006.
Weekly chick placements have been above the previous year for approximately the last 4 months, and now the higher placement rate is expected to push up production in the third quarter.
