Released by the National Agricultural Statistics Service
Ready-to-Cook Weight Up 4 Percent from Last Year
April 2014 contained 22 weekdays (including 0 holidays) and 4 Saturdays.
April 2015 contained 22 weekdays (including 0 holidays) and 4 Saturdays.
Poultry certified wholesome during April 2015 (ready-to-cook weight) totaled 3.90 billion pounds, up 4 percent from the amount certified in April 2014.
The March 2015 revised certified total at 3.95 billion pounds, was up 9 percent from March 2014. The March revision represented an increase of 6.51 million pounds from last month’s preliminary pounds certified.
The preliminary total live weight of all federally inspected poultry during April 2015 was 5.14 billion pounds, up 4 percent from 4.93 billion pounds a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 4.43 billion pounds, up 4 percent from April 2014. Mature chickens, at 71.8 million pounds, were up 2 percent from the previous year. Turkey inspections totaled 619 million pounds, up 5 percent from a year ago. Ducks totaled 16.9 million pounds, up 7 percent from last year.
Young chickens slaughtered during April 2015 averaged 6.12 pounds per bird, up 2 percent from April 2014. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.77 pounds per bird, up 3 percent from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during April 2015 averaged 30.7 pounds per bird, down slightly from April 2014.
Ante-mortem condemnations during April 2015 totaled 11.6 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.23 percent of the live weight inspected, as compared with 0.23 percent a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 41.6 million pounds, were 1.06 percent of quantities inspected, as compared with 1.02 percent a year earlier.
