August 2015 contained 21 weekdays (including 0 holidays) and 5 Saturdays.
Poultry certified wholesome during August 2015 (ready-to-cook weight) totaled 3.92 billion pounds, up 5 percent from the amount certified in August 2014. The July 2015 revised certified total at 3.97 billion pounds, was up 2 percent from July 2014. The July revision represented an increase of 1.94 million pounds from last month's preliminary pounds certified.
The preliminary total live weight of all federally inspected poultry during August 2015 was 5.17 billion pounds, up 5 percent from 4.94 billion pounds a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 4.53 billion pounds, up 7 percent from August 2014. Mature chickens, at 64.1 million pounds, were down 12 percent from the previous year. Turkey inspections totaled 562 million pounds, down 7 percent from a year ago. Ducks totaled 14.8 million pounds, up 2 percent from last year.
Young chickens slaughtered during August 2015 averaged a record high of 6.12 pounds per bird, up 2 percent from August 2014. The average live weight of mature chickens was 6.36 pounds per bird, up 10 percent from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during August 2015 averaged 29.2 pounds per bird, down 3 percent from August 2014.
Ante-mortem condemnations during August 2015 totaled 12.6 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.24 percent of the live weight inspected, as compared with 0.22 percent a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 38.2 million pounds, were 0.97 percent of quantities inspected, as compared with 0.95 percent a year earlier.
Source: USDA