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USDA: August poultry production down 2% on year

The USDA says poultry production during August was 4.395 billion pounds, down 2% from August 2018. Most of that was chicken at 3.882 billion pounds, also down 2% on the year, with a 3% decline for turkey at 501.022 million and a 1% increase in duck to 11.491 million pounds. Year to date poultry production is 33.355 billion pounds, 1% ahead of the 2018 pace. The total live weight of all poultry was 5.805 billion pounds, 2% lower than last year.

The chicken slaughter was 3% below a year ago at 813.157 million head and the turkey kill was 4% lower at 20.316 million, while ducks were just about unchanged at 2.304 million head.

Average live weights were mostly steady to higher than a year ago. All chickens averaged 6.35 pounds, .06 heavier, turkeys averaged 30.90, up 0.23, and ducks averaged 6.88, compared to 6.84 pounds per bird the year before.

Ante-mortem condemnations were 13.959 million pounds, down 3%, representing 0.24 on the total live weight. Post-mortem condemnations were 31.874 million pounds, a drop of 15% from August 2018, or 0.72 of monthly production.

The biggest state for chicken was Georgia, while Minnesota claimed the top spot for turkey.