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U.S. poultry production up 9% in March

 

U.S. poultry production during March totaled 3.940 billion pounds, up 9% on the year, according to the Department of Agriculture. Most of the total was chicken at 3.425 billion pounds, up 9%, with turkey at 501.929 million pounds, 10% higher. For the year to date, U.S. poultry production is 11.301 billion pounds, 5% more than this time last year.

The preliminary live weight was pegged at 5.205 billion pounds, also 9% more than a year ago. Young chickens averaged 6.07 pounds per bird and mature chickens averaged 5.72 pounds, while turkeys averaged 31.2 pounds per bird.

Ante-mortem condemnations of 12.6 06 million pounds were 0.24% of the live weight and post-mortem condemnations of 42.419 million pounds were 1.07% of monthly production.