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 September 2005 (ready-to-cook weight) totaled 3.52 billion pounds, up 1 percent from the amount certified in September 2004. Updated totals for August 2005 show that 3.66 billion pounds were certified.

The preliminary total live weight of poultry inspected during September 2005 was 4.71 billion pounds, up slightly from 4.70 billion pounds a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 4.05 billion pounds, up 1 percent from September 2004, and mature chickens at 67.2 million pounds, were down 9 percent from the previous year. Turkey inspections totaled 573 million pounds, down slightly, and ducks totaled 15.7 million pounds, up 6 percent from last year.

Young chickens slaughtered during September 2005 averaged 5.41 pounds per bird, up 1 percent from September 2004. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.83 pounds per bird, unchanged from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during September 2005 averaged 27.1 pounds per bird, up 2 percent from September 2004.

Ante-mortem condemnations during September 2005 totaled 17.0 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.36 percent of the live weight inspected, compared to 0.37 percent a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 45.0 million pounds (N.Y. dressed weight), were 1.06 percent of quantities inspected, compared with 1.24 percent a year earlier.

September 2005 contained 22 weekdays (including one holiday) and four Saturdays, the same as September 2004.

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 October 2005