USDA Live Poultry Sltr Under F.I. 02/26 10:51
02/26/2026 | 10:51 am CST USDA Live Poultry Sltr Under F.I. 02/26 10:51
NW_PY017
Des Moines, IA Thu. Feb 26, 2026 USDA Market News
MISC. POULTRY: Weekly Poultry Slaughtered Under Federal Inspection (Thur)
(Preliminary) (Released 12:00 PM Central Time) Week ending 21-Feb-2026
Young Light Heavy Total
Chickens Hens Hens Hens Ducks
---------------------Thousands-----------------------------------
Head 172,407 582 1,546 2,128 481
Avg Wt 6.49 3.49 8.50 7.13 6.87
Head sltr comparisons
Last week 172,177 852 2,655 3,507 541
Same wk yr ago 162,670 650 1,429 2,079 453
Avg Wt 6.49 3.66 8.32 6.86 7.11
To-date/2026* 1,349,830 6,139 15,078 21,217 3,676
To-date/2025* 1,294,531 4,810 13,002 17,812 3,340
% Change YTD 4% 28% 16% 19% 10%
Ready-to-Cook Weight and Dressing Percentage
Current week 850,380 1,127 9,002 10,129 2,346
Last week 853,171 1,598 15,059 16,657 2,731
Same wk yr ago 802,354 1,320 8,144 9,464 2,287
To-date/2026* 6,738,010 11,955 86,538 98,493 18,581
To-date/2025* 6,482,845 9,233 73,917 83,150 16,656
% Change YTD 4% 29% 17% 18% 12%
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Dressing % 76.0% 55.5% 68.5% 71.0%
Live Turkeys Slaughtered Week Ending 21-Feb-2026
Young Young Young Old Total
Hens Toms Breeders Breeders Turkeys
Head 1,559 1,908 0 27 3,494
Avg Wt 17.65 47.02 0.00 32.24 33.80
Head sltr comparisons
Last week 1,696 1,940 1 31 3,668
Same wk yr ago 1,137 1,777 23 16 2,953
Avg Wt 17.19 44.32 28.15 43.46 33.74
To-date/2026* 12,461 14,565 75 210 27,311
To-date/2025* 10,281 14,114 207 238 24,840
% Change YTD 21% 3% -64% -12% 10%
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Ready-to-Cook Weight and Dressing Percentage
Current week 22,151 72,220 0 675 95,046
Last week 24,971 72,822 31 693 98,517
Same wk yr ago 15,734 63,399 502 539 80,174
To-date/2026* 179,361 552,909 2,016 5,122 739,408
To-date/2025* 147,719 508,065 4,226 5,844 665,854
% Change YTD 21% 9% -52% -12% 11%
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Dressing % 80.5% 80.5% 77.5% 77.5%
(A) The estimated number of fryers available for marketing based on the
2-week revised average chick placements 6 to 7 weeks earlier was 170.7
million head. Estimated U.S. slaughter for this period was 174.5 million
head, or 3.8 million more than estimated available.
(B) Dressing % adjustments reflect quarterly update.
*Note: Year to-date totals reflect comparable time periods.
SOURCE: USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News
Des Moines, IA 515.284.4460 email: desm.lpgmn@ams.usda.gov
http://www.ams.usda.gov/market-news/livestock-poultry-grain
Prepared: 26-Feb-26 10:04 AM C NBS
[0600059C]