During September, the preliminary total live weight of all federally inspected poultry was 4.92 billion lbs., down 2 percent from 5.00 billion lbs. a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 4.24 billion lbs., down 2 percent from September 2010. Mature chickens, at 73.8 million lbs., were up 2 percent from the previous year.
Turkey inspections totaled 594 million lbs., up 2 percent from a year ago. Ducks totaled 13.1 million lbs., down 9 percent from last year.
During September, young chickens slaughtered averaged 5.86 lbs. per bird, up 2 percent from September 2010. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.78 lbs. per bird, up 1 percent from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered averaged 29.1 lbs. per bird, up 2 percent from September 2010.
Ante-mortem condemnations during September totaled 10.1 million lbs. Condemnations were 0.21 percent of the live weight inspected, as compared with 0.23 percent a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 34.1 million lbs., were 0.91 percent of quantities inspected, as compared with 0.90 percent one year earlier.