USDA recently released its April 2023 slaughter report, which noted a one percent decrease in ready-to-cook weight from this time last year.

Poultry certified wholesome during March 2023 (ready-to-cook weight) totaled 4.53 billion pounds, down one percent from the amount certified in March 2022. The February 2023 revised certified total at 4.06 billion pounds, was up two percent from February 2022. The February revision represented an increase of 5.17 million pounds from last month’s preliminary pounds certified.

The preliminary total live weight of all federally inspected poultry during March 2023 was 5.98 billion pounds, down one percent from 6.01 billion pounds a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 5.29 billion pounds, down slightly from March 2022. Mature chickens, at 73.5 million pounds, were up five percent from the previous year.

Young chickens slaughtered during March 2023 averaged 6.48 pounds per bird, up one percent from March 2022. The average live weight of mature chickens was 6.99 pounds per bird, up one percent from a year ago.

Ante-mortem condemnations during March 2023 totaled 12.9 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.22 percent of the live weight inspected, unchanged from a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 28.1 million pounds, were 0.62 percent of quantities inspected, unchanged from a year earlier.

The full report can be found here.