USDA comments on poultry weight and slaughter levels
Young chickens slaughtered during December 2006 averaged 2.5 kg per bird, down slightly from December 2005.
The average live weight of mature chickens was 2.7 kg per bird, up 5% from a year ago. US turkeys slaughtered during December 2006 averaged 12.7 kg per bird, down 2% from December 2005.
The USDA reported that the preliminary total live weight of poultry inspected during December 2006 was 1.96 billion kg, down 6% from 2 billion kg a year ago. Young chickens inspected totalled 3.70 billion pounds, down 6% from December 2005. Mature chickens, at 26.7 million kg, were down 12% from the previous year.
Ante-mortem condemnations during December 2006 totalled 6.8 million kg. Condemnations were 0.35% of the live weight inspected, as compared with 0.38% a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations were 1.29% of quantities inspected, compared with 1.37% a year earlier.
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