Ready-to-Cook Weight Down 2 Percent from Last Year
Poultry certified wholesome during March 2013 (ready-to-cook weight) totaled 3.52 billion pounds, down 2 percent from the amount certified in March 2012. The February 2013 revised certified total at 3.39 billion pounds, was down 2 percent from February 2012. The February revision represented an increase of 325 thousand pounds from last month's preliminary pounds certified.
The preliminary total live weight of all federally inspected poultry during March 2013 was 4.66 billion pounds, down 2 percent from 4.77 billion pounds a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 3.99 billion pounds, down 2 percent from March 2012. Mature chickens, at 59.4 million pounds, were down 6 percent from the previous year. Turkey inspections totaled 591 million pounds, down 6 percent from a year ago. Ducks totaled 13.7 million pounds, down slightly from last year.
Young chickens slaughtered during March 2013 averaged 5.87 pounds per bird, up 1 percent from March 2012. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.26 pounds per bird, up 2 percent from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during March 2013 averaged 30.9 pounds per bird, up 1 percent from March 2012.
Ante-mortem condemnations during March 2013 totaled 10.2 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.22 percent of the live weight inspected, as compared with 0.20 percent a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 37.5 million pounds, were 1.06 percent of quantities inspected, as compared with 0.96 percent a year earlier.
Source: USDA