USDA’s recently released March Slaughter report indicated a three percent increase in young chickens slaughter compared to February 2022. Average weights were also up two percent.
Poultry certified wholesome during February 2023 (ready-to-cook weight) totaled 4.05 billion pounds, up two percent from the amount certified in February 2022. The January 2023 revised certified total at 4.48 billion pounds, was seven percent from January 2022. The January revision represented an increase of 11.7 million pounds from last month’s preliminary pounds certified.
The preliminary total live weight of all federally inspected poultry during February 2023 was 5.34 billion pounds, up two percent from 5.22 billion pounds a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 4.74 billion pounds, up three percent from February 2022. Mature chickens, at 61.7 million pounds, were up two percent from the previous year.
Young chickens slaughtered during February 2023 averaged 6.49 pounds per bird, up one percent from February 2022. The average live weight of mature chickens was 6.92 pounds per bird, down one percent from a year ago.
Ante-mortem condemnations during February 2023 totaled 12.0 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.22 percent of the live weight inspected, as compared with 0.25 percent a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 25.7 million pounds, were 0.63 percent of quantities inspected, as compared with 0.62 percent a year earlier.
USDA’s full March Slaughter report can be found here.
