Ready-to-cook poultry weight during September 2013 totaled 3.60 billion lbs., up 5 percent from the total in September 2012, the US Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service reported.
The August 2013 revised certified total dipped 2 percent to 3.84 billion lbs. compared to August 2012. The August revision represented an increase of 477,000 lbs. from the September preliminary lbs. certified, NASS said.
The preliminary total live weight of all federally inspected poultry during September was 4.76 billion lbs., up 5 percent from 4.55 billion lbs. a year ago. A total of 4.13 billion lbs. of young chickens were inspected, up 6 percent from September 2012. Mature chickens declined slightly to 69.0 million lbs. Turkey inspections were down 3 percent to 551 million lbs., while ducks totaled 13.4 million lbs., an 11 percent increase compared to a year ago, according to NASS.
Young chickens slaughtered during September averaged 5.95 lbs. per bird, up 1 percent from September 2012. Mature chickens' average live weight was 5.88 lbs. per bird, down slightly from September 2012, NASS reported. Turkeys slaughtered during September averaged 30.2 lbs. per bird, up 3 percent from a year ago.
Ante-mortem condemnations during September totaled 9.59 million lbs.. Condemnations were 0.20 percent of the live weight inspected compared 0.20 percent a year ago. Post-mortem condemnations, at 31.9 million lbs., were 0.88 percent of quantities inspected compared to 0.85 percent in 2012, according to NASS.
