October 27, 2010

US poultry ready-to-cook weight up 5% in September

The USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) reports a five% increase in poultry ready-to-cook (RTC) weights in its monthly Poultry Slaughter report for September 2010.

Poultry certified wholesome during September 2010 (ready-to-cook weight) totalled 3.75 billion pounds, up 5% from the amount certified in September 2009. The August 2010 revised certified total at 3.74 billion pounds, was up 6% from August 2009. The August revision represented an increase of 12.2 million pounds from last month's preliminary pounds certified.

The preliminary total live weight of all federally inspected poultry during September 2010 was 4.98 billion pounds, up five% from 4.77 billion pounds a year ago. Young chickens inspected totalled 4.31 billion pounds, up 5% from September 2009. Mature chickens, at 72.2 million pounds, were up 6% from the previous year.

Young chickens slaughtered during September 2010 averaged 5.73 pounds per bird, up 2% from September 2009. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.72 pounds per bird, up slightly from a year ago..

Ante-mortem condemnations during September 2010 totalled 11.4 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.23% of the live weight inspected, the same as a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 34.1 million pounds, were 0.90% of quantities inspected, as compared with 0.97% a year earlier.