Poultry Slaughter National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released February 3, 1998, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on "Poultry Slaughter" call Jim Brewster (202) 720-8784, office hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. Ready-to-Cook Weight Up 8 Percent Poultry Certified Wholesome during December (ready-to-cook weight), totaled 2.76 billion pounds, up 8 percent from the amount certified in December 1996. Updated totals for November 1997 show that 2.51 billion pounds were certified. The preliminary total Live Weight of Poultry Inspected during December 1997 was 3.74 billion pounds. Inspections included 3.08 billion pounds of young chickens, 65.7 million pounds of mature chickens, 579 million pounds of turkeys, and 13.6 million pounds of ducks. Young chickens slaughtered during December 1997 averaged 4.86 pounds per bird, up slightly from the average live weight a year ago. The average live weight of mature chickens was unchanged at 4.83 pounds per bird. Turkeys slaughtered during December 1997 averaged 24.8 pounds per bird, up four percent from December 1996. Ante-mortem condemnations during December 1997 totaled 13.7 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.37 percent of the live weight inspected, compared with 0.39 percent a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 61.4 million pounds (N.Y. dressed weight), were 1.83 percent of quantities inspected, compared with 1.89 percent a year earlier. December 1997 contained 23 weekdays (including one holiday) and four Saturdays, while December 1996 contained 22 weekdays (including one holiday) and four Saturdays. Each weekday represents approximately 5 percent of the month's total. Poultry Slaughter: Number, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight by Type, United States, December 1997 with Comparisons 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : Chickens : : Other :---------------------------------------: Ducks : Poultry : Young : Mature 2/ : Total : : :---------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head Number Inspected : : Nov 1997 : 560,062 11,115 571,176 1,555 ----- Dec 1996 : 595,041 12,201 607,242 1,852 ----- Dec 1997 : 633,429 13,621 647,049 2,042 ----- : Jan-Dec 1996 : 7,546,250 153,604 7,699,854 20,663 ----- Jan-Dec 1997 : 7,715,917 166,661 7,882,577 21,978 ----- : : 1,000 Pounds Live Weight : : Nov 1997 : 2,727,391 54,997 2,782,387 10,409 997 Dec 1996 : 2,877,468 58,881 2,936,349 12,563 856 Dec 1997 : 3,076,837 65,728 3,142,565 13,592 966 : Jan-Dec 1996 : 36,034,815 800,556 36,835,371 137,624 13,414 Jan-Dec 1997 : 37,107,092 831,610 37,938,702 146,534 21,167 : : Pounds Average Live Weight : : Nov 1997 : 4.87 4.95 4.87 6.69 ----- Dec 1996 : 4.84 4.83 4.84 6.78 ----- Dec 1997 : 4.86 4.83 4.86 6.66 ----- : Jan-Dec 1996 : 4.78 5.21 4.78 6.66 ----- Jan-Dec 1997 : 4.81 4.99 4.81 6.67 ----- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- See footnotes at end of table. -- continued Poultry Slaughter: Number, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight by Type, United States, December 1997 with Comparisons 1/ (continued) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Turkeys : :--------------------------------------------: Total : Fryer- : : : Total : Poultry : Roasters : Young 3/ : Old : Turkeys : :---------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head Number Inspected : : Nov 1997 : --- 24,385 138 24,523 ----- Dec 1996 : 10 21,849 146 22,005 ----- Dec 1997 : --- 23,249 123 23,372 ----- : Jan-Dec 1996 : 188 290,571 2,068 292,826 ----- Jan-Dec 1997 : 68 288,177 1,761 290,006 ----- : : 1,000 Pounds Live Weight : : Nov 1997 : --- 574,354 3,787 578,140 3,371,934 Dec 1996 : 122 521,240 3,851 525,213 3,474,982 Dec 1997 : --- 575,389 3,280 578,669 3,735,792 : Jan-Dec 1996 : 1,697 6,870,549 53,301 6,925,547 43,911,956 Jan-Dec 1997 : 658 6,902,974 45,351 6,948,984 45,055,387 : : Pounds Average Live Weight : : Nov 1997 : --- 23.55 27.35 23.58 ----- Dec 1996 : 12.00 23.86 26.45 23.87 ----- Dec 1997 : --- 24.75 26.65 24.76 ----- : Jan-Dec 1996 : 9.04 23.65 25.77 23.65 ----- Jan-Dec 1997 : 9.62 23.95 25.76 23.96 ----- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Federally inspected only. Totals may not add due to rounding. 2/ Of the Mature Chickens inspected, the number reported in thousands as heavy fowl (broiler breeding stock) was: December 1996: 4,129, December 1997: 4,416. 3/ Of the Young Turkeys inspected, the number reported in thousands as young breeders was: December 1996: 95, December 1997: 64. Poultry Slaughter: Chilled and Frozen, Pounds Certified by Type, United States, December 1997 with Comparisons 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : Chickens : : Other :---------------------------------------------: Ducks : Poultry : Young : Mature : Total : : :---------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Pounds Nov 1997 : Chilled : 1,818,844 32,006 1,850,850 2,625 348 Frozen : 190,981 1,912 192,893 4,788 217 : Total : 2,009,825 33,918 2,043,743 7,413 565 : Dec 1996 : Chilled : 1,916,707 34,725 1,951,431 3,732 274 Frozen : 183,085 646 183,731 5,233 206 : Total : 2,099,792 35,371 2,135,163 8,965 480 : Dec 1997 : Chilled : 2,037,134 38,133 2,075,267 3,736 361 Frozen : 215,787 2,432 218,219 5,911 254 : Total : 2,252,921 40,565 2,293,486 9,646 615 : : Jan-Dec 1996 : Chilled : 24,109,922 466,066 24,575,988 36,072 2,900 Frozen : 2,226,381 20,719 2,247,100 62,968 4,673 : Total : 26,336,303 486,785 26,823,089 99,040 7,573 : Jan-Dec 1997 : Chilled : 24,747,378 476,511 25,223,888 36,948 7,670 Frozen : 2,448,953 27,745 2,476,698 67,466 4,992 : Total : 27,196,330 504,256 27,700,586 104,414 12,662 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- See footnotes at end of table. -- continued Poultry Slaughter: Chilled and Frozen, Pounds Certified by Type, United States, December 1997 with Comparisons 1/ (continued) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Turkeys : :------------------------------------------------: Total : Fryer- : : : Total : Poultry : Roasters : Young : Old : Turkeys : :---------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Pounds Nov 1997 : Chilled : --- 239,205 1,332 240,537 2,094,359 Frozen : --- 211,416 1,554 212,970 410,869 : Total : --- 450,621 2,886 453,507 2,505,228 : Dec 1996 : Chilled : 44 211,540 1,061 212,646 2,168,083 Frozen : 46 196,407 1,845 198,298 387,468 : Total : 91 407,948 2,906 410,945 2,555,552 : Dec 1997 : Chilled : --- 233,410 1,354 234,765 2,314,129 Frozen : --- 220,185 1,135 221,319 445,703 : Total : --- 453,595 2,489 456,084 2,759,832 : : Jan-Dec 1996 : Chilled : 48 2,614,097 26,232 2,640,377 27,255,338 Frozen : 1,250 2,801,440 13,976 2,816,666 5,131,407 : Total : 1,297 5,415,537 40,208 5,457,043 32,386,745 : Jan-Dec 1997 : Chilled : 86 2,640,790 22,044 2,662,921 27,931,426 Frozen : 395 2,797,714 12,524 2,810,634 5,359,790 : Total : 482 5,438,504 34,568 5,473,554 33,291,216 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Ready-to-cook weights. Totals may not add due to rounding. Poultry Slaughter: Ante-Mortem and Post-Mortem Condemnations by Type, United States, December 1997 with Comparisons 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : Chickens : : Other :------------------------------------: Ducks : Poultry : Young : Mature : Total : : :------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Pounds Ante-Mortem : (Live Weight) : : Nov 1997 : 9,128 734 9,862 11 2 Dec 1996 : 10,931 1,057 11,987 9 3 Dec 1997 : 11,330 973 12,304 13 6 : Jan-Dec 1996 : 135,661 12,885 148,546 130 74 Jan-Dec 1997 : 130,219 13,754 143,974 149 98 : Percent 2/ : : Dec 1996 : 0.38 1.79 0.41 0.07 0.40 Dec 1997 : 0.37 1.48 0.39 0.09 0.65 : : 1,000 Pounds Post-Mortem : (N.Y. Dressed Weight) : : Nov 1997 : 41,601 3,067 44,668 213 9 Dec 1996 : 44,972 3,516 48,487 265 10 Dec 1997 : 46,180 3,658 49,838 295 9 : Jan-Dec 1996 : 551,558 46,345 597,903 2,307 155 Jan-Dec 1997 : 570,340 50,947 621,287 2,954 195 : Percent 3/ : : Dec 1996 : 1.74 6.63 1.83 2.34 1.30 Dec 1997 : 1.67 6.18 1.76 2.41 1.09 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- See footnotes at end of table. -- continued Poultry Slaughter: Ante-Mortem and Post-Mortem Condemnations by Type, United States, December 1997 with Comparisons 1/ (continued) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Turkeys : :--------------------------------------------: Total : Fryer- : : : Total : Poultry : Roasters : Young : Old : Turkeys : :------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Pounds Ante-Mortem : (Live Weight) : : Nov 1997 : --- 1,287 23 1,310 11,184 Dec 1996 : --- 1,420 25 1,445 13,446 Dec 1997 : --- 1,396 23 1,418 13,741 : Jan-Dec 1996 : 7 20,266 491 20,764 169,514 Jan-Dec 1997 : 2 20,036 313 20,350 164,571 : Percent 2/ : : Dec 1996 : 0.07 0.27 0.66 0.28 0.39 Dec 1997 : --- 0.24 0.69 0.25 0.37 : : 1,000 Pounds Post-Mortem : (N.Y. Dressed Weight) : : Nov 1997 : --- 10,585 156 10,741 55,631 Dec 1996 : 5 10,244 243 10,492 59,254 Dec 1997 : --- 11,021 220 11,241 61,384 : Jan-Dec 1996 : 34 132,822 3,303 136,159 736,524 Jan-Dec 1997 : 21 136,228 2,537 138,785 763,221 : Percent 3/ : : Dec 1996 : 4.13 2.18 7.01 2.22 1.89 Dec 1997 : --- 2.13 7.46 2.16 1.83 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Federally inspected only. Totals may not add due to rounding. 2/ Pounds condemned as percent of pounds (live weight) inspected. Percentages based on unrounded data. 3/ Pounds condemned as percent of pounds N.Y. dressed weight of quantity inspected. Percentages based on unrounded data. Young Chickens Slaughtered: Number, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight, Selected States and United States, December 1996-97 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Average : Number : Live Weight : Live Weight State : Inspected : Inspected : Inspected 1/ :-----------------------:---------------------------:------------------- : 1996 : 1997 : 1996 : 1997 : 1996 : 1997 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ 1,000 ------ ---- 1,000 Pounds ---- --- Pounds --- : AL : 64,181 72,631 314,783 349,088 4.90 4.81 AR : 91,968 96,695 446,397 462,843 4.85 4.79 CA : 18,257 19,848 93,212 104,533 5.11 5.27 DE : 21,895 21,677 122,185 122,934 5.58 5.67 FL : 10,752 11,716 49,301 55,579 4.59 4.74 GA : 86,255 87,316 426,065 428,955 4.94 4.91 LA : 11,572 12,649 52,100 58,389 4.50 4.62 MD : 16,404 17,552 77,254 85,275 4.71 4.86 MS : 53,990 55,951 247,079 265,497 4.58 4.75 MO : 27,301 28,145 120,113 121,928 4.40 4.33 NC : 46,495 47,026 249,950 259,249 5.38 5.51 PA : 8,089 9,130 40,936 46,317 5.06 5.07 SC : 17,982 18,373 80,127 86,636 4.46 4.72 TN : 13,472 13,044 63,086 60,547 4.68 4.64 TX : 37,255 42,377 170,299 193,359 4.57 4.56 VA : 26,823 29,049 128,373 140,522 4.79 4.84 WA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : 595,041 633,429 2,877,468 3,076,837 4.84 4.86 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Average weight based on unrounded data. Young Chickens Slaughtered: Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, Selected States and United States, December 1996-97 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Post-Mortem Condemnations : Total :----------------------------------------- State : Certified 1/ : N.Y. Dressed Weight : Percent 2/ :-----------------------------:----------------------------------------- : 1996 : 1997 : 1996 : 1997 : 1996 : 1997 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------------ 1,000 Pounds ------------------ -- Percent -- : AL : 231,370 260,810 6,130 7,581 2.16 2.41 AR : 320,590 335,543 5,949 5,541 1.48 1.33 CA : 68,048 74,565 1,507 1,539 1.80 1.64 DE : 86,901 87,625 2,623 2,308 2.39 2.09 FL : 35,006 39,303 747 1,111 1.68 2.22 GA : 312,756 318,393 7,271 5,906 1.90 1.53 LA : 36,004 41,377 716 931 1.53 1.77 MD : 52,469 60,250 1,569 1,255 2.26 1.64 MS : 192,099 203,493 2,321 3,263 1.04 1.37 MO : 87,106 89,234 1,690 1,430 1.56 1.30 NC : 185,026 189,042 3,679 4,458 1.64 1.91 PA : 28,422 32,264 1,232 1,268 3.34 3.04 SC : 58,471 65,112 1,503 1,589 2.08 2.04 TN : 45,782 43,796 706 582 1.24 1.07 TX : 128,209 145,930 2,606 2,426 1.70 1.39 VA : 90,140 98,337 1,708 1,565 1.48 1.24 WA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : 2,099,792 2,252,921 44,972 46,180 1.74 1.67 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Ready-to-cook weights. 2/ Pounds condemned as percent of equivalent N.Y. dressed weight of quantity inspected. Percentages based on unrounded data. Young Chickens Slaughtered: Number Condemned Post-Mortem by Cause, Selected States and United States, December 1997 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Tuber- : : : Airsac- : : State : culosis : Leukosis : Septicemia : culitis : Synovitis : Tumors ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : AL : --- 1,432 195,346 245,660 3,197 11,541 AR : --- 6,665 327,581 142,903 14,507 9,293 CA : --- --- 102,209 7,123 868 7,230 DE : --- --- 126,569 81,964 --- --- FL : --- 494 --- --- --- --- GA : --- 4,501 150,712 253,425 1,314 15,581 LA : --- 297 42,977 26,547 420 1,959 MD : --- 13,996 94,930 50,820 --- 8,135 MS : --- --- 122,188 66,681 2,122 9,486 MO : --- 11,302 100,384 21,941 1,876 2,059 NC : --- 9,564 153,389 91,485 68 59,887 PA : --- --- 44,450 39,444 486 --- SC : --- 2,412 29,325 --- --- 3,808 TN : --- 332 49,539 8,374 --- --- TX : --- --- 138,376 48,782 1,536 2,369 VA : --- --- 79,455 35,287 246 --- WA : --- --- 30,133 --- --- --- : US : --- 102,775 2,013,397 1,322,992 37,809 178,506 :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Contam- : : : : Bruises : Cadaver : ination : Overscald : Other : Total :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : AL : 13,991 43,093 62,329 11,381 333,535 921,505 AR : 11,900 27,708 46,816 6,185 88,835 682,393 CA : 989 6,854 3,597 2,253 26,830 157,953 DE : 3,518 9,005 14,861 1,955 60,032 297,904 FL : 1,739 2,634 7,992 --- --- 12,859 GA : 11,772 32,984 36,728 13,998 233,785 754,800 LA : 1,948 4,932 --- --- --- 79,080 MD : 1,950 7,793 14,088 --- 18,497 210,209 MS : 6,331 23,359 25,317 6,510 159,452 421,446 MO : 2,806 11,099 17,867 411 30,076 199,821 NC : 7,603 26,187 61,030 6,866 163,733 579,812 PA : 2,305 4,236 --- 391 30,218 121,530 SC : 3,067 13,661 19,917 --- 64,079 136,269 TN : 2,488 6,893 13,249 --- 18,022 98,897 TX : 1,809 17,145 16,966 1,236 31,060 259,279 VA : 3,174 8,695 16,840 1,603 94,828 240,128 WA : 204 1,619 --- --- --- 31,956 : US : 85,401 277,940 441,096 69,662 1,559,021 6,088,599 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mature Chickens Slaughtered: Number, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight, Selected States and United States, December 1996-97 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Average : Number : Live Weight : Live Weight State : Inspected : Inspected : Inspected 1/ :-----------------------:---------------------------:------------------- : 1996 : 1997 : 1996 : 1997 : 1996 : 1997 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ 1,000 ------ ---- 1,000 Pounds ---- --- Pounds --- : CA : --- --- --- --- --- --- GA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : 12,201 13,621 58,881 65,728 4.83 4.83 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Average weight based on unrounded data. Mature Chickens Slaughtered: Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, Selected States and United States, December 1996-97 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Post-Mortem Condemnations : Total :----------------------------------------- State : Certified 1/ : N.Y. Dressed Weight : Percent 2/ :-----------------------------:----------------------------------------- : 1996 : 1997 : 1996 : 1997 : 1996 : 1997 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------------ 1,000 Pounds ------------------ -- Percent -- : CA : --- --- --- --- --- --- GA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : 35,371 40,565 3,516 3,658 6.63 6.18 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Ready-to-cook weights. 2/ Pounds condemned as percent of equivalent N.Y. dressed weight of quantity inspected. Percentages based on unrounded data. Mature Chickens Slaughtered: Number Condemned Post-Mortem by Cause, Selected States and United States, December 1997 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Tuber- : : : Airsac- : : State : culosis : Leukosis : Septicemia : culitis : Synovitis : Tumors ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : CA : --- 30 --- --- --- --- GA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : --- 4,810 238,743 24,319 1,781 133,818 :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Contam- : : : : Bruises : Cadaver : ination : Overscald : Other : Total :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : CA : --- 49 373 --- --- 452 GA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : 36,408 30,967 153,515 1,845 36,219 662,425 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Young Turkeys (Mature) Slaughtered: Number, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight, Selected States and United States, December 1996-97 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Average : Number : Live Weight : Live Weight State : Inspected : Inspected : Inspected 1/ :-----------------------:---------------------------:------------------- : 1996 : 1997 : 1996 : 1997 : 1996 : 1997 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ 1,000 ------ ---- 1,000 Pounds ---- --- Pounds --- : AR : 2,027 2,097 34,543 36,655 17.04 17.48 CA : 1,883 1,911 41,681 46,133 22.13 24.14 IA : 1,155 1,128 32,399 30,642 28.06 27.17 MN : 2,954 3,441 67,834 76,135 22.97 22.12 MO : 1,732 2,027 47,861 55,297 27.64 27.28 NC : 3,345 3,507 82,288 89,141 24.60 25.42 PA : --- --- --- --- --- --- VA : 3,000 2,720 53,822 51,589 17.94 18.96 : US : 21,753 23,249 518,745 575,389 23.85 24.75 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Average weight based on unrounded data. Young Turkeys (Mature) Slaughtered: Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, Selected States and United States, December 1996-97 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Post-Mortem Condemnations : Total :----------------------------------------- State : Certified 1/ : N.Y. Dressed Weight : Percent 2/ :-----------------------------:----------------------------------------- : 1996 : 1997 : 1996 : 1997 : 1996 : 1997 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------------ 1,000 Pounds ------------------ -- Percent -- : AR : 28,145 28,898 510 455 1.64 1.38 CA : 32,789 36,517 552 727 1.47 1.75 IA : 25,103 23,735 813 727 2.79 2.64 MN : 52,851 60,079 1,784 2,160 2.92 3.15 MO : 37,713 43,279 1,127 1,203 2.62 2.42 NC : 64,413 71,725 1,505 1,368 2.03 1.71 PA : --- --- --- --- --- --- VA : 40,947 40,385 884 757 1.83 1.63 : US : 406,080 453,595 10,106 11,021 2.16 2.13 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Ready-to-cook weights. 2/ Pounds condemned as percent of equivalent N.Y. dressed weight of quantity inspected. Percentages based on unrounded data. Young Turkeys (Mature) Slaughtered: Number Condemned Post-Mortem by Cause, Selected States and United States, December 1997 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Tuber- : : : Airsac- : : State : culosis : Leukosis : Septicemia : culitis : Synovitis : Tumors ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : AR : --- --- 6,901 427 --- --- CA : --- --- 10,450 313 --- 13 IA : --- --- --- 2,656 2,632 --- MN : --- --- 18,316 3,540 --- 35 MO : --- --- 21,231 --- 290 --- NC : --- --- 5,037 --- --- 8 PA : --- --- --- 1,609 285 --- VA : --- 7 6,328 355 --- --- : US : --- 313 107,477 16,501 7,460 128 :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Contam- : : : : Bruises : Cadaver : ination : Overscald : Other : Total :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : AR : --- --- 470 --- --- 7,798 CA : 26 --- 439 --- --- 11,241 IA : --- --- --- --- --- 5,288 MN : 209 1,285 1,072 --- 2,167 26,624 MO : --- --- 571 --- --- 22,092 NC : 82 1,234 --- --- 734 7,095 PA : --- --- --- --- --- 1,894 VA : --- 1,099 251 --- 1,060 9,100 : US : 959 7,818 8,541 2,791 20,494 172,482 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Old Turkeys (Breeders) Slaughtered: Number Condemned Post-Mortem by Cause, United States, December 1997 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Tuber- : : : Airsac- : : State : culosis : Leukosis : Septicemia : culitis : Synovitis : Tumors ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : US : --- --- 5,127 376 --- 109 :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Contam- : : : : Bruises : Cadaver : ination : Overscald : Other : Total :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : US : 6 57 100 --- 857 6,632 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Poultry Slaughter Estimates Data Sources:Primary data for commercial poultry slaughter estimates are obtained from the Poultry Inspection Form (FSIS 6000-21) completed by inspectors of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), USDA. This form provides actual counts of birds slaughtered in Federally Inspected (FI) plants. Over 99 percent of the total U.S. slaughter for any species is under FI. The FSIS 6000-21 forms collect number of head slaughtered daily under FI by species and class as well as condemnations and total live and dressed weights. Approximately 350 plants in the U.S. are operated under Federal Inspection. Annual totals of poultry slaughtered under State-administered Non-Federal Inspection (NFI) are published in the April release. Revision Policy:Revisions are generally the result of late reports received by FSIS from plants and are usually less than one-half of 1 percent of the preliminary totals. Revisions for the previous month and year-to-date totals are published in each monthly release. Final data are published in the annual summary released in April and reflect any late reports or corrections which occurred after the monthly revision were published. Procedures and Reliability:Plant inspectors submit forms (FSIS 6000-21) weekly summarizing the plant's activity. When inconsistencies in the data are detected, the reports are returned to the inspectors for correction. Inspectors correct or validate the report and resubmit it. The reports cover weekly activities through Saturday night and reported data are allocated to the appropriate month as it enters the database. A NASS computer program provides a review of current data with historical data for each plant. An edit provides checks for the detection of errors such as invalid plant information, duplication, and erroneous data. The program also generates a missing reports listing for a telephone follow-up. Data are summarized weekly and accumulated to a monthly total for this release. Major slaughter plants with missing reports are adjusted prior to publication to assure that all plants slaughtering a significant portion of a specific class are accounted for each week. Estimates for missing weeks are made only after verifying that the plant was in operation. Adjustments are based on either the previous week's information or a week determined to be similar to the one missing. Late reports replace imputed data as they become available. While there will continue to be a varying degree of incompleteness from month to month, it is expected to have only a minimal impact on the final totals. Poultry slaughter estimates are based on a census of operating plants and, therefore, have no sampling error. However, they may be subject to errors such as omissions, duplications, and mistakes in reporting, recording, and processing the data. These errors are minimized through strict quality controls in the edit and summarization process, and a careful review of all reported data for consistency and reasonableness. Generally, no State data are published if less than three plants operate for a species in a State, or if one plant has 60 percent or more of the total head for that species. These data are included in the U.S. totals. Definitions Used To Report Federally Inspected Slaughter Ante-Mortem Condemnations - Birds condemned prior to their entry into the slaughter plant. Certified Ready-to-Cook - The weight of poultry certified wholesome by inspection after post-mortem condemnation pounds are removed. Ready-to-cook represents poultry meat ready for the marketing channel. Ducks - Includes all ducks regardless of age and weight. Fryer-Roaster Turkeys - Young immature birds, usually under 16 weeks of age. Mature Chickens - Fowl from breeder and market egg flocks and stags and cocks. New York Dressed Weight - Carcass weight after only feathers and blood are removed. This weight is approximately 90% of live weight. Old Turkeys (Breeders) - Fully matured birds held for egg production, usually over 15 months of age. Other Poultry - Includes all other ready-to-cook products which bear the U.S.D.A. Inspected for Wholesomeness legend. Post-Mortem Condemnations - Carcasses or parts condemned by the inspector because of disease or mishandling and removed from the slaughter line and destroyed. Young Chickens - Commercially grown broilers-fryers and other young immature birds such as roasters and capons. Young Turkeys (Mature) - Young birds grown to a matured market age, about 5 months. Index Page Definitions.............................................................. 16 Mature Chickens Number Inspected, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight, U.S., December 1996-1997................................................ 11 Mature Chickens Post-Mortem Condemnations by Cause, Selected States and U.S., December 1996-1997............................ 11 Mature Chickens Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, U.S., December 1996-1997................................................ 11 Old Turkeys (Breeders) Post-Mortem Condemnations by Cause, U.S., December 1996-1997................................................ 14 Poultry Chilled and Frozen Pounds Certified (RTC) by Type, U.S., December 1997..................................................... 4 Poultry Slaughter Ante-Mortem and Post-Mortem Condemnations by Type, U.S., December 1997............................................ 6 Poultry Slaughter Number Inspected, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight by Type, U.S., December 1997................................ 2 Reliability Statement.................................................... 15 Young Chickens Number Inspected, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight, Selected States and U.S., December 1996-1997............................ 8 Young Chickens Post-Mortem Condemnations by Cause, Selected States and U.S., December 1996-1997............................ 10 Young Chickens Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, Selected States and U.S., December 1996-1997............................ 9 Young Turkeys (Mature) Number Inspected, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight, Selected States and U.S., December 1996-1997............... 12 Young Turkeys (Mature) Post-Mortem Condemnations by Cause, Selected States and U.S., December 1996-1997............................ 13 Young Turkeys (Mature) Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, Selected States and U.S., December 1996-1997............................ 12 The next "Poultry Slaughter" report will be released at 3 p.m. ET on March 4, 1998. 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Hear noted experts and farm leaders tackle front line issues: managing risk, selling bio-engineered products, ensuring food safety, marketing organic foods, honing export strategies, and more. Act Now To Attend. For program and registration details check the Forum home page, call (202) 720-3050, or dial (202) 694-5700 from your fax machine handset and retrieve document 66666. Call (202) 401-9421 to register. Ag Forum home page: http://www.usda.gov/oce/waob/agforum.htm e-mail: agforum@oce.usda.gov Agricultural Outlook Forum 98