News

May poultry production up, led by chicken

The USDA says poultry production during May was up 2% on the year at 4.373 billion pounds. That’s with a 2% increase in chicken to 3.869 billion cancelling out a 3% lower move in turkey at 492.429 million pounds and a 5% decrease for duck to 11.376 million. The preliminary live weight of all poultry was 5.776 billion pounds, also up 2% from May 2018.

The chicken slaughter and live weights were both up on the month, while slower turkey and duck kills canceled out heavier weights. The chicken slaughter was 812.6 million head, 1% higher, with a total live weight of 5.143 billion pounds and the average live weight of all chickens was 6.33 pounds per bird. The turkey slaughter was 19.104 million head, 8% lower, with a total live weight of 617.176 million head and all turkeys averaged 32.31 pounds. The duck kill was 2.235 million head, down 5%, with a total live weight of 15.637 million pounds and a per duck average weight of 7.00 pounds.

Ante-mortem condemnations were 12.745 million pounds, 3% below last year, accounting for 0.22% of the preliminary live weight total. Post-mortem condemnations were 34.482 billion pounds, a drop of 8%, or 0.78% of monthly production.

The USDA’s most recent cold storage report had a 6% year to year decline for total poultry, with chicken down 5%, turkey 8% lower, and duck dropping 12%.