Monthly Broiler Production Statistics, July 2024.
Broiler Chick Placements June-July 2025.
According to the July 30th 2025 USDA Broiler Hatchery Report, 1.257 million eggs were set over five weeks extending from June 28th 2025 through July 26th 2025 inclusive. This was 1.0 percent higher compared to the corresponding period in 2024.
Total chick placements for the U.S. over the five-week period amounted to 972.9 million chicks. Claimed hatchability for the period averaged 79.3 percent for eggs set three weeks earlier. Each 1.0 percent change in hatchability represents approximately 1.94 million chicks placed per week and 1.84 million broilers processed, assuming five percent culls and mortality and within the current range of weekly settings.
Cumulative chick placements for the period January 7th through December 30th 2024 amounted to 9.67 billion chicks. For January 4th through July 28th 2025 chick placements attained 5.00 billion, up one percent from the corresponding week in 2023.
According to the July 21st 2025 edition of the USDA Chickens and Eggs, pullet breeder chicks hatched and intended for U.S. placement during June 2025 amounted to 9.38 million, down 3.9 percent (0.39 million pullet chicks) from June 2024 and 16.5 percent (1.38 million pullet chicks) more than the previous month of May 2025. Broiler breeder hen complement attained 60.37 million on July1st 2025, 2.4 percent (1.46 million hens) more than on July 1st 2024.
Broiler Production July 2025
As documented in the July 31st 2025 USDA Weekly Poultry Slaughter Reports for the processing week ending July 26th 2025, 170.1 million broilers were processed at 6.53 lbs. live. This was 1.8 percent more than the 167.1 million processed during the corresponding week in July 2024. Broilers processed in 2025 to date amounted to 4,966 million, 1.9 percent more than for the corresponding period in 2024.
Ready to cook (RTC) weight for the most recent week in July was 827.2 million lbs. (376,005 metric tons). This was 0.3 percent less than the 829.3 million lbs. during the corresponding week in July 2024. Dressing percentage was a nominal 76.0 percent. For 2025 to date RTC broiler production attained 24,755 million lbs. (11.25 million metric tons). This quantity was 3.3 percent more than for the corresponding period in 2024.
The USDA posted live-weight data for the past week ending July 26th and YTD 2025 including:-
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Live Weight Range (lbs.)
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<4.25
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4.26-6.25
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6.26-7.25
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>7.76
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Proportion past week (%)
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17
|
28
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30
|
35
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Change from 2020 YTD (%)
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-7
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+2
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-1
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+10
|
June 2025 Frozen Inventory
According to the July 25th 2025 USDA Cold Storage Report, issued monthly, stocks of broiler products as of June 30th 2025 compared to June 30th 2024 showed differences with respect to the following categories:-
- Total Chicken category attained 764.8 million lbs. (347.6 thousand metric tons) corresponding to approximately one week of production based on recent weekly RTC output. The June 2025 inventory was up 2.5 percent compared to 745,779 million lbs. (339.0 thousand metric tons) on June 30th 2024 and up 1.5 percent from the previous month of May 2025.
- LegQuarters were up by 0.6 percent to 55.0 million lbs. compared to June 2024 consistent with the data on exports. Inventory was up 2.5 percent from May 2025. Given the trend in inventory of leg quarters it is evident that this category continues to be shipped in varying quantities as the principal (96 percent) chicken export product to a number of nations with the top five importers representing 48.6 percent of the January-May 2025 export total of 1,259,559 metric tons of chicken parts. Mexico was the leading importer with 23.3 percent followed by Cuba (7.9%); Taiwan, (6.6%); Philippines, (6.3%) and Canada, (5.8%)
- The Breasts and Breast Meat category was up 10.1 percent from June 2024 to 227.1 million lbs. indicating a relatively lower domestic consumer demand for this category despite concern over inflation in the cost of alternative proteins. June 30th 2025 stock was 2.1 percent higher than on May 31st The trend through the first five months of 2025 suggests stable but low retail and food service demand for the white meat category. This is despite promotion of chicken sandwiches and wraps by QSRs in the face of a higher cost for beef and an increasing pattern of eat-at-home consumption.
- Total inventory of dark meat (drumsticks legs, thighs and thigh quarters but excluding leg quarters) on June 30th 2025 decreased 2.3 percent from June 2024 to 63.7 million lbs. This difference suggests an increase in domestic demand for lower-priced dark meat against the prevailing price of white chicken meat. Higher prices for competitive proteins offer an opportunity to increase domestic demand for this category with innovative product development and promotion.
- Wings showed a 5.0 percent decrease from June 2024, contributing to a stock of 52.5 million lbs. Inventory of wings was 7.7 percent lower compared to May 2025. Movement in stock over the past 12 months has demonstrated lower demand for this category due in part from competitive “boneless wings.” Increased consumption traditionally associated with significant sports events including the College and Super Bowls reduced the volumes of storage in January and February 2025. The progressive increase in unit price during 2024 plateaued in 2025 due to consumer fatigue and competition from competing protein snacks despite continued interest in professional and collegiate football.
- The inventory of Paws and Feet was 4.2 percent higher than on June 30th 2024 to 31.9 million lbs. Stock was was 2.2 percent higher than on May 31st Prior to the April 2020 Phase-1 Trade Agreement approximately half of the shipments of paws and feet destined for Hong Kong were landed and transshipped to the Mainland, a trend that is re-emerging.
- The Other category comprising 321.8 million lbs. on June 30th 2025 was down 0.6 percent from June 2024 but represented a substantial 42.1 percent of inventory. The high proportion of the Other category suggests further classification or re-allocation by USDA to the designated major categories.
June 2025 Processed Broiler Production
The USDA Poultry Slaughter Report released on July 25th 2025 covered June 2025 comprising 20 working days, one less than June 2024. The following values were documented for the month:-
- A total of 787.3 million broilers were processed in June 2025, up 34.1 million or 4.5 percent from June 2024;
- Total live weight in June 2025 was 5,190 million lbs., up 255.8 million lbs. or 5.2 percent from June 2024;
- Unit live weight in June 2025 was 6.59 lbs., up 0.04lb. (0.6 percent) from June 2024.
- RTC in June 2025 attained 3,926 million lbs., up 5.3 million lbs. or 5.4 percent from June 2004.
- WOG yield in June 2025 was 75.6 percent, up from 75.5 percent in June 2024.
- The proportion marketed as chilled in June 2025 comprised 93.6 percent of RTC output compared to 93.4 percent in June 2024.
- Ante-mortem condemnation as a proportion of live weight attained 0.20 percent during June 2025 compared to 0.19 percent in June 2024.
- Post-mortem condemnations as a proportion of processed mass corresponded to 0.43 percent during June 2025 compared to 0.47 percent in June 2024.
Comments
Mexico has recognized the OIE principle of regionalization after intensive negotiations between SENASICA and the U.S. counterpart, USDA-APHIS assisted by USAPEEC. Provided importing nations adhere to OIE guidelines on regionalization, localized outbreaks of avian influenza or possibly Newcastle disease will affect exports only from states or counties with outbreaks in commercial flocks. The response of China, Japan and some other nations is less predictable with bans placed on a nationwide or statewide basis. The response by China to outbreaks is influenced more by self-interest than considerations of scientific fact or international trade obligations. Other importing nations have confined restrictions to counties following the WOAH principle of regionalization. The challenge facing the U.S. as the second largest exporting nation will be to gain acceptance for controlled vaccination against HPAI in specific industry sectors and regions with appropriate surveillance and certification to the satisfaction of importing nations.
Collectively our NAFTA/USMCA neighbors imported broiler products to the value of $598 million over the first five months of 2025 representing 31.8 percent of export value.