Ready-to-Cook Weight Up 4 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 March 2006 (ready-to-cook weight) totaled 3.70 billion pounds, up 4 percent from the amount certified in March 2006. Updated totals for February 2005 show that 3.21 billion pounds were certified.

The preliminary total live weight of poultry inspected during March 2006 was 4.94 billion pounds, up 4 percent from 4.76 billion pounds a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 4.23 billion pounds, up 4 percent from March 2005. However, mature chickens, at 71.4 million pounds, were down 6 percent from the previous year. Turkey inspections totaled 621 million pounds, up 6 percent from a year ago. Ducks totaled 17.2 million pounds, up 5 percent from last year.

Young chickens slaughtered during March 2006 averaged 5.44 pounds per bird, up 2 percent from March 2005. The average live weight of mature chickens was 6.14 pounds per bird, up 11 percent from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during March 2006 averaged 28.6 pounds per bird, 1 percent below March 2005.

Ante-mortem condemnations during March 2006 totaled 16.2 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.33 percent of the live weight inspected, compared to 0.35 percent a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 52.4 million pounds (N.Y. dressed weight), were 1.18 percent of quantities inspected, compared with 1.23 percent a year earlier.

March 2006 contained 23 weekdays and four Saturdays, the same as March 2005.

To view the full report, including tables, please click here (PDF format, 20 pages)

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