Ready-to-Cook Weight Up 2 Per Cent from Last Year

US - The USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) comments on the slight rise in poultry ready-to-cook weights in their monthly Poultry Slaughter Report.

28 January 2009

3 minute read

North America

Poultry certified wholesome during December 2008 (ready-to-cook weight) totaled 3.47 billion pounds, up 2 per cent from the amount certified in December 2007. The November 2008 revised certified total at 3.22 billion pounds, was down 10 per cent from November 2007. The November revision represented an increase of 1.39 million pounds from last month's preliminary pounds certified.

The preliminary total live weight of poultry inspected during December 2008 was 4.64 billion pounds, up 1 per cent from 4.58 billion pounds a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 3.94 billion pounds, up slightly from December 2007. Mature chickens, at 63.8 million pounds, were up 5 per cent from the previous year. Turkey inspections totaled 617 million pounds, up 6 per cent from a year ago. Ducks totaled 14.7 million pounds, down 2 per cent from last year.

Young chickens slaughtered during December 2008 averaged 5.56 pounds per bird, down 1 per cent from December 2007. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.56 pounds per bird, down 2 per cent from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during December 2008 averaged 29.6 pounds per bird, up 2 per cent from December 2007.

Ante-mortem condemnations during December 2008 totaled 14.4 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.31 per cent of the live weight inspected, as compared with 0.33 per cent a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 41.0 million pounds, were 1.17 per cent of quantities inspected, as compared with 1.21 per cent a year earlier.

December 2008 contained 23 weekdays (including one holiday) and 4 Saturdays, while December 2007 had 21 weekdays (including one holiday) and 5 Saturdays.

Special Note: Beginning with the 25 February 2009 monthly release of the Poultry Slaughter report, young chicken postmortem State level data by cause for Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Tennessee will be discontinued. Young chicken post-mortem State level data by cause will continue to be published for the nine remaining states.