US ready-to-cook poultry up 8% from 2010

The average live weight of mature chickens reached 5.6 pounds per bird for May 2011.

U.S. poultry certified wholesome during May 2011 (ready-to-cook weight) totaled 3.78 billion pounds, up 8% from the amount certified in May 2010, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's latest report.
The preliminary total live weight of all federally inspected poultry during May was 5.01 billion pounds, up 8% from 2010's 4.66 billion pounds. Young chickens inspected totaled 4.31 billion pounds, up 7%. Mature chickens, at 70.5 million pounds, were up 10% from May 2010 numbers. Turkey inspections in May totaled 620 million pounds, up 13% from the same time in 2010, while ducks totaled 14 million pounds, up 11%.
Young chickens slaughtered during May 2011 averaged 5.81 pounds per bird, up 2% from May 2010. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.6 pounds per bird, up slightly from 2010 numbers. Turkeys slaughtered during May averaged 30.2 pounds per bird, up 25 from the same time in 2010.