November 24, 2015, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service
Ready-to-Cook Weight Down 2 Percent from Last Year
October 2014 contained 23 weekdays (including 1 holiday) and 4 Saturdays.
October 2015 contained 22 weekdays (including 1 holiday) and 5 Saturdays.
Poultry certified wholesome during October 2015 (ready-to-cook weight) totaled 4.05 billion pounds, down 2 percent from the amount certified in October 2014. The September 2015 revised certified total at 4.00 billion pounds, was up 4 percent from September 2014. The September revision represented an increase of 2.48 million pounds from last month’s preliminary pounds certified.
The preliminary total live weight of all federally inspected poultry during October 2015 was 5.34 billion pounds, down 2 percent from 5.47 billion pounds a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 4.60 billion pounds, down 2 percent from October 2014. Mature chickens, at 73.6 million pounds, were down 1 percent from the previous year. Turkey inspections totaled 654 million pounds, down 7 percent from a year ago. Ducks totaled 15.9 million pounds, down 4 percent from last year.
Young chickens slaughtered during October 2015 averaged a record high 6.19 pounds per bird, up 2 percent from October 2014. The average live weight of mature chickens was 6.30 pounds per bird, up 6 percent from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during October 2015 averaged 29.5 pounds per bird, down 2 percent from October 2014.
Ante-mortem condemnations during October 2015 totaled 12.5 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.23 percent of the live weight inspected, as compared with 0.21 percent a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 41.0 million pounds, were 1.00 percent of quantities inspected, as compared with 0.96 percent a year earlier.
Photo credit: Kristine Paulus
