Ready-to-cook poultry weight drops from February 2012

Ready-to-cook poultry weight during February totaled 3.39 billion pounds, down 2 percent from the amount certified in February 2012, according to the March 25 Poultry Slaughter report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Ready-to-cook poultry weight during February totaled 3.39 billion pounds, down 2 percent from the amount certified in February 2012, according to the March 25 Poultry Slaughter report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service. 

The January revised certified total climbed 6 percent to 3.85 billion pounds, an increase of 1.46 million pounds from December 2012's preliminary pounds certified.

The preliminary total live weight of all federally inspected poultry during February eased 2 percent to 4.49 billion pounds from 4.59 billion pounds in 2012. Young chickens inspected totaled 3.84 billion pounds, down 2 percent from the year-ago period. Mature chickens declined 2 percent from 2012 to 59.6 million pounds. Turkey inspections totaled 578 million pounds, down 1 percent from 2012 numbers. Ducks slipped a percent to 13.3 million pounds. 

Young chickens slaughtered during February averaged 5.91 pounds per bird, up 1 percent from 2012, according to the report. The average live weight of mature chickens declined 3 percent to 5.38 pounds per bird. Turkeys slaughtered during February averaged 31.2 pounds per bird, up 1 percent from 2012 numbers. 

Ante-mortem condemnations during February totaled 9.95 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.22 percent of the live weight inspected, compared to 0.21 percent in 2012. Post-mortem condemnations, at 36.5 million pounds, were 1.07 percent of quantities inspected compared to 0.98 percent in 2012. 

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