News

February poultry production down 5% on year

U.S. poultry production during February 2021 was 3.741 billion pounds, down 5% from February 2020. Chicken made up most of the total at 3.311 billion pounds, 4% under last year, with turkey at 420.640 million pounds, a decrease of 6%.

Average live weights were mostly higher, 6.39 pounds for all chickens and 33.48 pounds for all turkeys, but the year-to-year slaughter fell 6% for chickens to 685.390 million head and 8% for turkeys at 15.756 million head, partially due to transportation and processing disruptions caused by Winter Storm Uri.

Ante-mortem condemnations of 11.864 million head were up 3% on the year, that’s 0.24% of the preliminary live weight, while post-mortem condemnations of 24.683 million head dropped 17% and represented 0.66% of monthly production.

Year to date poultry production is 7.852 billion pounds, 7% behind the year ago pace.