WASHINGTON – During May, US poultry certified wholesome (ready-to-cook weight) totaled 3.78 billion lbs., up 8 percent from the amount certified in May 2010, according to the US Department of Agriculture. The April 2011 revised certified total at 3.48 billion lbs., was down 2 percent from April 2010. The April revision represented an increase of 3.71 million lbs. from last month's preliminary pounds certified.

The preliminary total live weight of all federally inspected poultry during May was 5.01 billion lbs., up 8 percent from 4.66 billion lbs. a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 4.31 billion lbs., up 7 percent from May 2010. Mature chickens, at 70.5 million lbs., were up 10 percent from the previous year.


Turkey inspections totaled 620 million lbs., up 13 percent from a year ago. Ducks totaled 14.0 million lbs., up 11 percent from last year.

Young chickens slaughtered during May 2011 averaged 5.81 lbs. per bird, up 2 percent from May 2010. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.60 lbs. per bird, up slightly from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during May 2011 averaged 30.2 lbs. per bird, up 2 percent from May 2010.

Ante-mortem condemnations during May 2011 totaled 10.5 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 36.7 million lbs., were 0.96 percent of quantities inspected, as compared with 0.94 percent a year earlier.