February 2015 contained 20 weekdays (including 1 holiday) and 4 Saturdays.
Poultry certified wholesome during February 2015 (ready-to-cook weight) totaled 3.48 billion pounds, down slightly from the amount certified in February 2014. The January 2015 revised certified total at 3.87 billion pounds, was up 5 percent from January 2014. The January revision represented an increase of 941 thousand pounds from last month's preliminary pounds certified.
The preliminary total live weight of all federally inspected poultry during February 2015 was 4.59 billion pounds, down slightly from 4.60 billion pounds a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 3.97 billion pounds, down 1 percent from February 2014. Mature chickens, at 64.7 million pounds, were up 2 percent from the previous year. Turkey inspections totaled 542 million pounds, up 3 percent from a year ago. Ducks totaled 14.4 million pounds, up 3 percent from last year.
Young chickens slaughtered during February 2015 averaged 6.09 pounds per bird, up 1 percent from February 2014. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.67 pounds per bird, up 2 percent from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during February 2015 averaged 31.3 pounds per bird, up 1 percent from February 2014.
Ante-mortem condemnations during February 2015 totaled 12.4 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.27 percent of the live weight inspected, as compared with 0.24 percent a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 38.9 million pounds, were 1.11 percent of quantities inspected, as compared with 1.04 percent a year earlier.
Source: USDA