Ready-to-Cook Weight Up 5 Percent from Last Year

Dec 23, 2015

November 2014 contained 20 weekdays (including 2 holidays) and 5 Saturdays.
November 2015 contained 21 weekdays (including 2 holidays) and 4 Saturdays.

Poultry certified wholesome during November 2015 (ready-to-cook weight) totaled 3.64 billion pounds, up 5 percent from the amount certified in November 2014. The October 2015 revised certified total at 4.05 billion pounds, was down 2 percent from October 2014. The October revision represented an increase of 715 thousand pounds from last month's preliminary pounds certified.

The preliminary total live weight of all federally inspected poultry during November 2015 was 4.80 billion pounds, up 5 percent from 4.58 billion pounds a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 4.14 billion pounds, up 6 percent from November 2014. Mature chickens, at 59.3 million pounds, were up 6 percent from the previous year. Turkey inspections totaled 586 million pounds, down 2 percent from a year ago. Ducks totaled 15.2 million pounds, up 7 percent from last year.

Young chickens slaughtered during November 2015 averaged 6.17 pounds per bird, up 2 percent from November 2014. The average live weight of mature chickens was 6.23 pounds per bird, up 1 percent from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during November 2015 averaged 29.0 pounds per bird, up 1 percent from November 2014.

Ante-mortem condemnations during November 2015 totaled 11.6 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.24 percent of the live weight inspected, as compared with 0.23 percent a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 38.6 million pounds, were 1.05 percent of quantities inspected, as compared with 1.03 percent a year earlier.

Source: USDA