Poultry certified wholesome during November 2012 (ready-to-cook weight) totaled 3.57 billion pounds, up 3 percent from the amount certified in November 2011. The October 2012 revised certified total at 3.97 billion pounds, was up 8 percent from October 2011. The October revision represented an increase of 198 thousand pounds from last month's preliminary pounds certified.
The preliminary total live weight of all federally inspected poultry during November 2012 was 4.73 billion pounds, up 3 percent from 4.60 billion pounds a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 4.01 billion pounds, up 3 percent from November 2011. Mature chickens, at 59.3 million pounds, were down 5 percent from the previous year. Turkey inspections totaled
642 million pounds, up slightly from a year ago. Ducks totaled 14.1 million pounds, down 1 percent from last year.
Young chickens slaughtered during November 2012 averaged 5.95 pounds per bird, up 2 percent from November 2011. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.73 pounds per bird, up slightly from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during November 2012 averaged 28.9 pounds per bird, up 3 percent from November 2011.
Ante-mortem condemnations during November 2012 totaled 9.63 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.20 percent of the live weight inspected, as compared with 0.21 percent a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 33.2 million pounds, were 0.92 percent of quantities inspected, as compared with 0.91 percent a year earlier.
Source: USDA