NASS said RTC weights totaled 3.86 billion lbs. in May, while the April 2012 totals were revised down to 3.52 billion lbs., up 1 percent from April 2011. The revision reflects a decrease of 548,000 lbs. from the previous month’s preliminary pounds certified, according to NASS.
The preliminary total live weight of poultry during May climbed 1 percent to 5.11 billion lbs., up from 5.04 billion lbs. in 2011, according to NASS. Young chickens inspected totaled 4.37 billion lbs., which represents a 1 percent increase from 2011 totals. Mature chickens rose 6 percent to 74.8 million lbs.
NASS said turkey inspections totaled 651 million lbs., a 5 percent increase from 2011. Totals for ducks climbed 2 percent to 14.3 million lbs.
Young chickens slaughtered during May averaged 5.83 lbs. per bird, a slight increase from May 2011, according to NASS. The average live weight of mature chickens totaled 5.27 lbs. per bird, down 6 percent from 2011. Turkeys slaughtered averaged 29.8 lbs. per bird, a decrease of 1 percent from May 2011, NASS said.
Ante-mortem condemnations during May totaled 10.1 million lbs., which accounted for 0.20 percent of the live weight inspected, compared with 0.21 percent in 2011. Post-mortem condemnations were 35.9 million lbs., which represented 0.92 percent of quantities inspected, as compared with 0.96 percent in 2011, according to NASS.
