Poultry Slaughter Finishes 2002 on Strong Note

WASHINGTON - Feb 7/03 - SNS -- Poultry slaughter activity finished the 202 calendar year with a strong performance in December, where USDA inspectors certified 3.02 billion pounds of ready-to-cook weight poultry as wholesome, up 3% from the amount certified in December 2001. Updated totals for November 2002 show that 3.01 billion pounds were certified.

The preliminary total live weight of poultry inspected during December 2002 was 4.10 billion pounds, up 4% from a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 3.43 billion pounds, up 3% from December 2001, and mature chickens at 69.9 million pounds, were up 3% from the previous year. Turkey inspections totaled 585 million pounds, up 10%, and ducks totaled 13.9 million pounds, a 3% increase.

Young chickens slaughtered during December 2002 averaged 5.20 pounds per bird, up 1% from December 2001. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.37 pounds per bird, up 3% from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during December 2002 averaged 27.5 pounds per bird, up 3% from December 2001.

Ante-mortem condemnations during December 2002 totaled 18.6 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.46% of the live weight inspected, compared with 0.37 percent from a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 44.6 million pounds (N.Y. dressed weight), were 1.21 percent of quantities inspected, compared with 1.26 percent a year earlier.

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