Ready-to-Cook Weight Up 6 Percent from Last Year
Poultry certified wholesome during January 2013 (ready-to-cook weight) totaled 3.85 billion pounds, up 6 percent from the amount certified in January 2012. The December 2012 revised certified total at 3.34 billion pounds, was down 1 percent from December 2011. The December revision represented an increase of 157 thousand pounds from last month's preliminary pounds certified.
The preliminary total live weight of all federally inspected poultry during January 2013 was 5.09 billion pounds, up 6 percent from 4.81 billion pounds a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 4.35 billion pounds, up 5 percent from January 2012. Mature chickens, at 74.2 million pounds, were up 9 percent from the previous year. Turkey inspections totaled 654 million pounds, up 9 percent from a year ago. Ducks totaled 14.6 million pounds, up 2 percent from last year.
Young chickens slaughtered during January 2013 averaged 5.92 pounds per bird, up 1 percent from January 2012. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.39 pounds per bird, up 2 percent from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during January 2013 averaged 31.6 pounds per bird, up 2 percent from January 2012.
Ante-mortem condemnations during January 2013 totaled 11.3 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.22 percent of the live weight inspected, as compared with 0.22 percent a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 38.3 million pounds, were 0.99 percent of quantities inspected, as compared with 0.95 percent a year earlier.
Source: USDA