Poultry Slaughter Jumps 10%

WASHINGTON - May 10/04 - SNS -- Poultry slaughter activity jumped 10% above year earlier levels in March, with 3.43 billion pounds certified wholesome. Updated totals for February 2004 show that 2.91 billion pounds were certified.

The preliminary total live weight of poultry inspected during March 2004 was 4.64 billion pounds, up 11% from a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 3.96 billion pounds, up 13% from March 2003, and mature chickens at 68.2 million pounds, were up 1% from the previous year. Turkey inspections totaled 597 million pounds, up slightly, and ducks totaled 14.9 million pounds, up 16% from last year.

Young chickens slaughtered during March 2004 averaged 5.16 pounds per bird, up 1% from March 2003. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.39 pounds per bird, unchanged from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during March 2004 averaged 26.5 pounds per bird, down 3% from March 2003.

Ante-mortem condemnations during March 2004 totaled 19.7 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.42% of the live weight inspected, compared to 0.41% a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 55.7 million pounds (N.Y. dressed weight), were 1.34% of quantities inspected, compared with 1.25% a year earlier.

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