Poultry Slaughter Output Declines

WASHINGTON - Aug 25/09 - SNS -- Poultry certified wholesome within July 2009 (ready-to-cook weight) totalled 3.63 billion pounds, down 5% from the quantity certified in July 2008, according to today's USDA statistics.

The June 2009 revised certified total at 3.60 billion pounds, was down 2 % from June 2008. The June revision represented an rise of 1.33 million pounds from last month's preliminary pounds certified. The preliminary total live weight of poultry inspected during July 2009 was 4.83 billion pounds, down 6% from 5.13 billion pounds a year ago. Young chickens inspected totalled 4.13 billion pounds, down 5% from July 2008. Mature chickens, at 75.3 million pounds, were down 8% from the previous year. Turkey inspections totalled 611 million pounds, down 11% from a year ago. Ducks totalled 12.8 million pounds, down 5% from the previous year. Young chickens slaughtered during July 2009 averaged 5.54 pounds per bird, unchanged from July 2008. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.90 pounds per bird, unchanged from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during July 2009 averaged 28.4 pounds per bird, up a little from July 2008. Ante-mortem condemnations during July 2009 totalled 12.8 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.26% of the live weight inspected, as compared with 0.39% a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 36.9 million pounds, were 1.01% of quantities inspected, as compared with 1.12% a year earlier.

          Poultry Slaughter:  Number, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight by Type,
                              United States, July, 2008-2009 1/
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    :         :         :         :Percent of :       January       :
                    :         :         :         :-----------:       to Date       :Percent
      Commodity     :   Jul   :   Jun   :   Jul   : Jul : Jun :---------------------:   of
                    :  2008   :  2009   :  2009   :2008 :2009 :   2008   :   2009   :  2008
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    :--------- 1,000 Head --------  -- Pct --  ----- 1,000 Head ----   Pct
                    :
Number Slaughtered  :
  Chickens          :
    Young           :  785,356   737,805   746,099   95   101   5,297,104  4,978,585    94
    Mature          :   13,828    12,752    12,762   92   100      92,394     82,096    89
      Light         :    5,941     6,200     5,552   93    90      43,203     37,605    87
      Heavy         :    7,887     6,552     7,210   91   110      49,191     44,491    90
    Total           :  799,184   750,557   758,861   95   101   5,389,498  5,060,681    94
                    :
  Turkeys           :
    Young           :   24,001    21,531    21,325   89    99     155,531    140,384    90
    Old             :      198       153       168   85   110       1,176      1,071    91
    Total           :   24,199    21,684    21,493   89    99     156,707    141,455    90
                    :
  Ducks             :    2,061     1,912     1,890   92    99      14,083     13,133    93
                    :
                    :-------- 1,000 Pounds -------  -- Pct --  ---- 1,000 Pounds ---   Pct
                    :
Live Weight         :
  Chickens          :
    Young           :4,350,613 4,083,618 4,134,550   95   101  29,475,706 27,661,093    94
    Mature          :   81,599    72,379    75,340   92   104     532,321    472,303    89
      Light         :   19,451    20,071    18,182   93    91     141,335    121,950    86
      Heavy         :   62,148    52,308    57,158   92   109     390,986    350,353    90
    Total           :4,432,212 4,155,997 4,209,890   95   101  30,008,027 28,133,396    94
                    :
  Turkeys           :
    Young           :  682,139   613,838   606,367   89    99   4,555,981  4,102,921    90
    Old             :    5,098     3,988     4,407   86   111      31,194     28,641    92
    Total           :  687,237   617,826   610,774   89    99   4,587,175  4,131,562    90
                    :
  Ducks             :   13,528    13,011    12,840   95    99      94,530     88,640    94
                    :
  Other Poultry 2/  :      208       193       199   96   103       1,259      1,131    90
                    :
  Total Poultry     :5,133,185 4,787,027 4,833,703   94   101  34,690,991 32,354,729    93
                    :
                    :    --------- Pounds --------  -- Pct --       ---- Pounds ----   Pct
                    :
Average Live Weight :
  Chickens          :
    Young           :     5.54      5.53      5.54  100   100        5.56       5.56   100
    Mature          :     5.90      5.68      5.90  100   104        5.76       5.75   100
      Light         :     3.27      3.24      3.27  100   101        3.27       3.24    99
      Heavy         :     7.88      7.98      7.93  101    99        7.95       7.87    99
    Total           :     5.55      5.54      5.55  100   100        5.57       5.56   100
                    :
  Turkeys           :
    Young           :    28.42     28.51     28.43  100   100       29.29      29.23   100
    Old             :    25.75     26.07     26.23  102   101       26.53      26.74   101
    Total           :    28.40     28.49     28.42  100   100       29.27      29.21   100
                    :
  Ducks             :     6.56      6.80      6.79  104   100        6.71       6.75   101
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1/ Federally inspected only.
2/ Includes geese, guineas, ostriches, emus, rheas, and squab.