Ready-to-Cook Weight Up 3 Percent from Last Year
Poultry certified wholesome during February 2014 (ready-to-cook weight) totaled 3.48 billion pounds, up 3 percent from the amount certified in February 2013. The January 2014 revised certified total at 3.68 billion pounds, was down 4 from January 2013. The January revision represented an increase of 1.15 million pounds from last month's preliminary pounds certified.
The preliminary total live weight of all federally inspected poultry during February 2014 was 4.60 billion pounds, up 2 percent from 4.49 billion pounds a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 3.99 billion pounds, up 4 percent from February 2013. Mature chickens, at 63.2 million pounds, were up 6 percent from the previous year. Turkey inspections totaled 528 million pounds, down 9 percent from a year ago. Ducks totaled 14.0 million pounds, up 5 percent from last year.
Young chickens slaughtered during February 2014 averaged 6.01 pounds per bird, up 2 percent from February 2013. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.56 pounds per bird, up 3 percent from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during February 2014 averaged 31.0 pounds per bird, down 1 percent from February 2013.
Ante-mortem condemnations during February 2014 totaled 10.9 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.24 percent of the live weight inspected, as compared with 0.22 percent a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 36.5 million pounds, were 1.04 percent of quantities inspected, as compared with 1.07 percent a year earlier.
Source: USDA