Ready-to-Cook Weight Down Slightly from Last Year
Poultry certified wholesome during April 2014 (ready-to-cook weight) totaled 3.74 billion pounds, down slightly from the amount certified in April 2013. The March 2014 revised certified total at 3.61 billion pounds, was up 2 percent from March 2013. The March revision represented an increase of 5.03 million pounds from last month's preliminary pounds certified.
The preliminary total live weight of all federally inspected poultry during April 2014 was 4.93 billion pounds, down 1 percent from 4.97 billion pounds a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 4.26 billion pounds, up slightly from April 2013. Mature chickens, at 70.6 million pounds, were down 2 percent from the previous year. Turkey inspections totaled 588 million pounds, down 7 percent from a year ago. Ducks totaled 15.7 million pounds, up 7 percent from last year.
Young chickens slaughtered during April 2014 averaged 5.99 pounds per bird, up 1 percent from April 2013. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.58 pounds per bird, up 8 percent from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during April 2014 averaged 30.8 pounds per bird, down slightly from April 2013.
Ante-mortem condemnations during April 2014 totaled 11.1 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.23 percent of the live weight inspected, as compared with 0.21 percent a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 38.5 million pounds, were 1.02 percent of quantities inspected, as compared with 1.01 percent a year earlier.
Source: USDA