US Ready-to-Cook Weight Up 1 Percent - US - 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 April 2005 (ready-to-cook weight) totaled 3.35 billion pounds, up 1 percent from the amount certified in April 2004. Updated totals for March 2005 show that 3.55 billion pounds were certified.

The preliminary total live weight of poultry inspected during April 2005 was 4.48 billion pounds, up 1 percent from 4.46 billion pounds a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 3.83 billion pounds, up 1 percent from April 2004, and mature chickens at 71.5 million pounds, were up 5 percent from the previous year. Turkey inspections totaled 560 million pounds, down 1 percent, and ducks totaled 14.7 million pounds, up 2 percent from last year.

Young chickens slaughtered during April 2005 averaged 5.37 pounds per bird, up 3 percent from April 2004. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.49 pounds per bird, down 3 percent from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during April 2005 averaged 28.9 pounds per bird, up 5 percent from April 2004.

Ante-mortem condemnations during April 2005 totaled 14.2 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.32 percent of the live weight inspected, compared to 0.44 percent a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 46.6 million pounds (N.Y. dressed weight), were 1.16 percent of quantities inspected, compared with 1.27 percent a year earlier.

April 2005 contained 21 weekdays and five Saturdays.
April 2004 contained 22 weekdays and four Saturdays.

Special Note

Poultry slaughter data from the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is now received on a shift basis rather than as weekly totals. The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) developed new edit and summarization programs to analyze the data. Data entry errors or omitted data that could not be detected before can now be corrected. Numbers in this report will vary slightly from those published earlier this year. Generally, the current year head counts are lower, and the live weights are higher. Condemnations are lower, and the “other” and total disease categories are higher. Data prior to January 1, 2005 are not affected.

Young Chickens: Live Weight Slaughtered, By Month, 2002-2005

Young Turkeys: Live Weight Slaughtered, By Month, 2002-2005

To view the full report, including tables, please click here (PDF format, 21 pages)

Source: USDA NASS - Poultry Slaughter - 31st May 2005