WASHINGTON – During November, US poultry certified wholesome (ready-to-cook weight) totaled 3.47 billion lbs., down 6 percent from the amount certified in November 2010, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, Agricultural Statistics Board, US Department of Agriculture. Totaling 3.68 billion lbs., the October 2011 revised certified amount was down 2 percent from October 2010.

October’s revision represented an increase of 6.92 million lbs. from last month's preliminary lbs. certified.

Totaling 4.59 billion lbs., the preliminary total live weight of all federally inspected poultry during November was down 6 percent from 4.90 billion lbs. one year earlier. Young chickens inspected totaled 3.88 billion lbs., down 7 percent from November 2010. Mature chickens, at 62.5 million lbs., were down 1 percent from the previous year.

Turkey inspections totaled 641 million lbs., down 1 percent from a year ago. Ducks totaled 14.2 million lbs., an increase of 3 percent from last year.

During November 2011, young chickens slaughtered averaged 5.82 lbs. per bird, down 1 percent from November 2010. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.71 lbs. per bird, down 8 percent from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during November averaged 28.0 lbs. per bird, down 1 percent from the same month one year earlier.

Ante-mortem condemnations during November totaled 9.71 million lbs.

Condemnations were 0.21 percent of the live weight inspected, versus 0.22 percent a year earlier. Totaling 31.8 million lbs., post-mortem condemnations were 0.91 percent of quantities inspected, versus 0.96 percent one year earlier.