031205 Poultry Ready-to-Cook Weight Up 2%December 6, 2003Washington, DC (USDA) - Poultry certified wholesome during October 2003 (ready-to-cook weight) totaled 3.62 billion pounds, up 2% from the amount certified in October 2002. Updated totals for September 2003 show that 3.33 billion pounds were certified. The preliminary total live weight of poultry inspected during October 2003 was 4.85 billion pounds, up 2% from a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 4.10 billion pounds, up 2% from October 2002, mature chickens at 70.7 million pounds, were down 15% from the previous year. Turkey inspections totaled 669 million pounds, down slightly, and ducks totaled 15.2 million pounds, up 6% from last year. Young chickens slaughtered during October 2003 averaged 5.27 pounds per bird, up 2% from October 2002. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.75 pounds per bird, up 6% from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during October 2003 averaged 26.4 pounds per bird, down 1% from October 2002. Ante-mortem condemnations during October 2003 totaled 16.9 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.35% of the live weight inspected, unchanged from a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 46.4 million pounds (N.Y. dressed weight), were 1.06% of quantities inspected, compared with 1.12% a year earlier. October 2003 contained 23 weekdays (including one holiday) and four Saturdays. The same as October 2002.
E-mail: sflanagan@sprintmail.com |
