January Poultry Slaughter Increase

WASHINGTON - Mar 8/04 - SNS -- Poultry slaughter increased in January in the United States, rising 1% from last year to 3.33 billion pounds on a ready-to-cook basis, according to the latest USDA data. Updated totals for December 2003 show that 3.25 billion pounds were certified.

The preliminary total live weight of poultry inspected during January 2004 was 4.49 billion pounds, up 1% from a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 3.85 billion pounds, up 2% from January 2003, mature chickens at 64.1 million pounds, were down 15% from the previous year. Turkey inspections totaled 555 million pounds, down 9%, and ducks totaled 14.6 million pounds, up 2% from last year.

Young chickens slaughtered during January 2004 averaged 5.31 pounds per bird, up 2% from January 2003. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.66 pounds per bird, up 8% from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during January 2004 averaged 27.6 pounds per bird, down 2% from January 2003.

Ante-mortem condemnations during January 2004 totaled 20.1 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.45% of the live weight inspected, compared to 0.51% a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 45.4 million pounds (N.Y. dressed weight), were 1.12% of quantities inspected, compared with 1.28% a year earlier.

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