Poultry certified wholesome during January 2015 (ready-to-cook weight) totaled 3.87 billion pounds, up 5 percent from the amount certified in January 2014. The December 2014 revised certified total at 3.88 billion pounds, was up 9 percent from December 2013. The December revision represented an increase of 1.67 million pounds from last month's preliminary pounds certified.
The preliminary total live weight of all federally inspected poultry during January 2015 was 5.13 billion pounds, up 5 percent from 4.88 billion pounds a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 4.43 billion pounds, up 5 percent from January 2014. Mature chickens, at 66.0 million pounds, were down 5 percent from the previous year. Turkey inspections totaled 615 million pounds, up 8 percent from a year ago. Ducks totaled 16.2 million pounds, up 10 percent from last year.
Young chickens slaughtered during January 2015 averaged 6.12 pounds per bird, up 2 percent from January 2014. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.53 pounds per bird, up 1 percent from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during January 2015 averaged 31.5 pounds per bird, up 1 percent from January 2014.
Ante-mortem condemnations during January 2015 totaled 12.5 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.24 percent of the live weight inspected, as compared with 0.24 percent a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 41.4 million pounds, were 1.06 percent of quantities inspected, as compared with 1.01 percent a year earlier.
Source: USDA