WASHINGTON – Ready-to-cook weight for poultry totaled 3.91 billion lbs., a slight increase from the amount certified in August 2011, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) of the US Department of Agriculture.

The July 2012 revised certified total gained 4 percent to 3.68 billion lbs. compared to July 2011. The July revision represented an increase of 908,000 lbs. from the preliminary pounds certified in June, NASS said.

The preliminary total live weight of poultry in August was 5.18 billion lbs., up slightly from 5.16 billion lbs. a year ago, according to NASS. Young chickens inspected declined slightly to 4.42 billion lbs. compared to August 2011. Mature chickens, at 80.7 million lbs., advanced 2 percent from 2011, according to NASS data. Turkey inspections rose 5 percent to 662 million lbs. Ducks totaled 14.3 million lbs., down 1 percent from 2011.

Young chickens slaughtered during August 2012 averaged 5.81 lbs. per bird, up 1 percent from August 2011. The average live weight of mature chickens was up slightly from a year ago to 5.88 lbs. per bird. Turkeys slaughtered during August 2012 averaged 28.9 lbs. per bird, up 1 percent from August 2011.

Ante-mortem condemnations during August 2012 reached 12.3 million lbs., according to NASS. Condemnations were 0.24 percent of the live weight inspected compared to 0.24 percent a year ago. Post-mortem condemnations were 34.1 million lbs. and were 0.87 percent of quantities inspected, compared to 0.90 percent a year earlier.