News

February poultry production down 3%

U.S. poultry production during February was down 3% on the year at 3.662 billion pounds.

The USDA says the total live weight of all poultry was also down 3% from February 2016 at 4.833 billion pounds, with the chicken slaughter declining 3% to 690.019 million head and the turkey kill 1% lower at 18.118 million. The average live weight for all types of chickens held steady at 6.15 pounds and turkeys were about a pound and a half heavier at 31.56.

Ante-mortem condemnations were 12.205 million pounds, or 0.25% of the preliminary live weight, and post-mortem condemnations were 36.943 million pounds, 1% of total monthly production.

The USDA’s most recent cold storage report reflected better demand for chicken than for turkey and there are some export demand uncertainties because of a recent outbreak of Avian Influenza, mostly in the southeastern United States.