Ready-to-Cook Weight Down 1 Percent from Last Year
Poultry certified wholesome during December 2012 (ready-to-cook weight) totaled 3.34 billion pounds, down 1 percent from the amount certified in December 2011. The November 2012 revised certified total at 3.57 billion pounds, was up 3 percent from November 2011. The November revision represented an increase of 1.96 million pounds from last month's preliminary pounds certified.
The preliminary total live weight of all federally inspected poultry during December 2012 was 4.42 billion pounds, down 1 percent from 4.46 billion pounds a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 3.80 billion pounds, down slightly from December 2011. Mature chickens, at 59.1 million pounds, were down 9 percent from the previous year. Turkey inspections totaled 550 million pounds, down 4 percent from a year ago. Ducks totaled 14.4 million pounds, down 5 percent from last year.
Young chickens slaughtered during December 2012 averaged 5.91 pounds per bird, up 2 percent from December 2011. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.07 pounds per bird, down 9 percent from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during December 2012 averaged 30.8 pounds per bird, up 2 percent from December 2011.
Ante-mortem condemnations during December 2012 totaled 9.35 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.21 percent of the live weight inspected, as compared with 0.21 percent a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 32.1 million pounds, were 0.95 percent of quantities inspected, as compared with 0.95 percent a year earlier.
Source: USDA