Ready-to-Cook Weight Up 6 Percent from Last Year
Poultry certified wholesome during June 2014 (ready-to-cook weight) totaled 3.74 billion pounds, up 6 percent from the amount certified in June 2013. The May 2014 revised certified total at 3.73 billion pounds, was down 3 percent from May 2013. The May revision represented an increase of 801 thousand pounds from last month's preliminary pounds certified.
The preliminary total live weight of all federally inspected poultry during June 2014 was 4.95 billion pounds, up 6 percent from 4.67 billion pounds a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 4.26 billion pounds, up 7 percent from June 2013. Mature chickens, at 68.5 million pounds, were up 3 percent from the previous year. Turkey inspections totaled 606 million pounds, up 2 percent from a year ago. Ducks totaled 14.1 million pounds, up 12 percent from last year.
Young chickens slaughtered during June 2014 averaged 5.99 pounds per bird, up 2 percent from June 2013. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.71 pounds per bird, down 2 percent from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during June 2014 averaged 30.1 pounds per bird, down slightly from June 2013.
Ante-mortem condemnations during June 2014 totaled 11.0 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.22 percent of the live weight inspected, as compared with 0.21 percent a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 35.9 million pounds, were 0.95 percent of quantities inspected, as compared with 0.88 percent a year earlier.
Source: USDA