RTC Weight Down 12 Per Cent from Last Year

US - The USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) comments on the drop in poultry ready-to-cook (RTC) weights in their monthly Poultry Slaughter Report.
calendar icon 2 March 2009
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Poultry certified wholesome during January 2009 (ready-to-cook weight) totaled 3.39 billion pounds, down 12 per cent from the amount certified in January 2008. The December 2008 revised certified total at 3.47 billion pounds, was up two per cent from December 2007. The December revision represented an increase of 717 thousand pounds from last month's preliminary pounds certified.

The preliminary total live weight of poultry inspected during January 2009 was 4.53 billion pounds, down 12 per cent from 5.16 billion pounds a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 3.86 billion pounds, down 12 per cent from January 2008. Mature chickens, at 62.1 million pounds, were down 15 per cent from the previous year. Turkey inspections totaled 594 million pounds, down 14 per cent from a year ago. Ducks totaled 13.0 million pounds, down 11 per cent from last year.

Young chickens slaughtered during January 2009 averaged 5.56 pounds per bird, down slightly from January 2008. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.63 pounds per bird, down one per cent from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during January 2009 averaged 30.5 pounds per bird, up slightly from January 2008.

Ante-mortem condemnations during January 2009 totaled 15.1 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.33 per cent of the live weight inspected, as compared with 0.39 percent a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 41.3 million pounds, were 1.20 per cent of quantities inspected, as compared with 1.31 per cent a year earlier.

January 2009 contained 22 weekdays (including two holiday) and five Saturdays, while January 2008 had 23 weekdays (including two holiday) and four Saturdays.

Special Note

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

Further Reading

- You can view the full report by clicking here.
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