Broiler meat production in the United States dropped by 0.3 percent in May when compared to the same month in 2012, but production for the first five months is ahead of the pace set for those same months from 2012, up 1.6 percent. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook, released on July 17, listed May production at 3.3 billion pounds and 15.6 billion pounds for the first five months of 2013.
The decline for May stemmed from a 0.7 percent decline in the number of birds slaughtered in May when compared to the previous year, but higher bird weights helped offset the decline.
The increase in production for the first five months included a 0.4 percent increase in slaughter and a 1.1 percent increase in live weights.
Broiler integrators are expected to expand production for the remaining months of 2013, with a production estimate of 19.1 billion pounds during the second half.
