Ready-to-Cook Weight Down 2 Percent from Last Year
Poultry certified wholesome during February 2013 (ready-to-cook weight) totaled 3.39 billion pounds, down 2 percent from the amount certified in February 2012. The January 2013 revised certified total at 3.85 billion pounds, was up 6 percent from January 2012. The January revision represented an increase of 1.46 million pounds from last month's preliminary
pounds certified.
The preliminary total live weight of all federally inspected poultry during February 2013 was 4.49 billion pounds, down 2 percent from 4.59 billion pounds a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 3.84 billion pounds, down 2 percent from February 2012. Mature chickens, at 59.6 million pounds, were down 2 percent from the previous year. Turkey inspections totaled 578 million pounds, down 1 percent from a year ago. Ducks totaled 13.3 million pounds, down 1 percent from last year.
Young chickens slaughtered during February 2013 averaged 5.91 pounds per bird, up 1 percent from February 2012. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.38 pounds per bird, down 3 percent from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during February 2013 averaged 31.2 pounds per bird, up 1 percent
from February 2012.
Ante-mortem condemnations during February 2013 totaled 9.95 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 36.5 million pounds, were 1.07 percent of quantities inspected, as compared with 0.98 percent a year earlier.
Source: USDA