Poultry Slaughter National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released March 2, 1999, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on "Poultry Slaughter" call John Lange (202) 720-058 or Mike Barker (202)720-3243, office hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. Ready-to-Cook Weight Up 1 Percent Poultry certified wholesome during January (ready-to-cook weight), totaled 2.89 billion pounds, up 1 percent from the amount certified in January 1998. Updated totals for December 1998 show that 2.88 billion pounds were certified. The preliminary total live weight of poultry inspected during January 1999 was 3.92 billion pounds. Inspections included 3.31 billion pounds of young chickens, 75.4 million pounds of mature chickens, 517 million pounds of turkeys, and 13.0 million pounds of ducks. Young chickens slaughtered during January 1999 averaged 5.01 pounds per bird, up 4 percent from 1998. The average live weight of mature chickens was 4.95 pounds per bird, down 1 percent from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during January 1999 averaged 26.4 pounds per bird, up 4 percent from January 1998. Ante-mortem condemnations during January 1999 totaled 19.1 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.49 percent of the live weight inspected, compared with 0.43 percent a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 70.6 million pounds (N.Y. dressed weight), were 2.00 percent of quantities inspected, compared with 1.91 percent a year earlier. January 1999 contained 21 weekdays (including two holidays) and five Saturdays, while January 1998 contained 22 weekdays (including two holidays) and five Saturdays. Pou 2-1 (3-99) Poultry Slaughter: Number, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight by Type, United States, January 1999 with Comparisons 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : Chickens : : Other :---------------------------------------: Ducks : Poultry : Young : Mature 2/ : Total : : :---------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head Number Inspected : : Dec 1998 : 660,683 15,102 675,785 2,042 ----- Jan 1998 : 668,891 14,769 683,661 2,026 ----- Jan 1999 : 661,635 15,218 676,852 1,927 ----- : Jan-Jan 1998 : 668,891 14,769 683,661 2,026 ----- Jan-Jan 1999 : 661,635 15,218 676,852 1,927 ----- : : 1,000 Pounds Live Weight : : Dec 1998 : 3,289,810 75,764 3,365,574 13,694 835 Jan 1998 : 3,233,705 74,207 3,307,912 13,560 1,157 Jan 1999 : 3,313,264 75,365 3,388,629 12,969 671 : Jan-Jan 1998 : 3,233,705 74,207 3,307,912 13,560 1,157 Jan-Jan 1999 : 3,313,264 75,365 3,388,629 12,969 671 : : Pounds Average Live Weight : : Dec 1998 : 4.98 5.02 4.98 6.70 ----- Jan 1998 : 4.83 5.02 4.84 6.69 ----- Jan 1999 : 5.01 4.95 5.01 6.73 ----- : Jan-Jan 1998 : 4.83 5.02 4.84 6.69 ----- Jan-Jan 1999 : 5.01 4.95 5.01 6.73 ----- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- See footnotes at end of table. -- continued Poultry Slaughter: Number, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight by Type, United States, January 1999 with Comparisons 1/ (continued) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Turkeys : :--------------------------------------------: Total : Fryer- : : : Total : Poultry : Roasters : Young 3/ : Old : Turkeys : :---------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head Number Inspected : : Dec 1998 : 33 21,886 139 22,058 ----- Jan 1998 : --- 21,608 158 21,766 ----- Jan 1999 : --- 19,513 97 19,611 ----- : Jan-Jan 1998 : --- 21,608 158 21,766 ----- Jan-Jan 1999 : --- 19,513 97 19,611 ----- : : 1,000 Pounds Live Weight : : Dec 1998 : 280 543,173 3,583 547,036 3,927,139 Jan 1998 : --- 547,785 4,267 552,052 3,874,681 Jan 1999 : --- 514,570 2,641 517,210 3,919,480 : Jan-Jan 1998 : --- 547,785 4,267 552,052 3,874,681 Jan-Jan 1999 : --- 514,570 2,641 517,210 3,919,480 : : Pounds Average Live Weight : : Dec 1998 : 8.43 24.82 25.83 24.80 ----- Jan 1998 : --- 25.35 27.02 25.36 ----- Jan 1999 : --- 26.37 27.10 26.37 ----- : Jan-Jan 1998 : --- 25.35 27.02 25.36 ----- Jan-Jan 1999 : --- 26.37 27.10 26.37 ----- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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: January 1998: 5,565, January 1999: 5,120. 3/ Of the Young Turkeys inspected, the number reported in thousands as young breeders was: January 1998: 62, January 1999: 78. Poultry Slaughter: Chilled and Frozen, Pounds Certified by Type, United States, January 1999 with Comparisons 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : Chickens : : Other :---------------------------------------------: Ducks : Poultry : Young : Mature : Total : : :---------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Pounds Dec 1998 : Chilled : 2,180,493 42,358 2,222,851 4,249 326 Frozen : 213,640 3,652 217,292 5,409 172 : Total : 2,394,133 46,010 2,440,143 9,657 498 : Jan 1998 : Chilled : 2,157,025 40,133 2,197,157 3,422 440 Frozen : 211,516 4,131 215,647 6,232 244 : Total : 2,368,541 44,264 2,412,804 9,654 684 : Jan 1999 : Chilled : 2,215,782 42,404 2,258,186 3,365 248 Frozen : 209,130 3,086 212,216 5,750 122 : Total : 2,424,912 45,490 2,470,402 9,116 370 : : Jan-Jan 1998 : Chilled : 2,157,025 40,133 2,197,157 3,422 440 Frozen : 211,516 4,131 215,647 6,232 244 : Total : 2,368,541 44,264 2,412,804 9,654 684 : Jan-Jan 1999 : Chilled : 2,215,782 42,404 2,258,186 3,365 248 Frozen : 209,130 3,086 212,216 5,750 122 : Total : 2,424,912 45,490 2,470,402 9,116 370 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- See footnotes at end of table. -- continued Poultry Slaughter: Chilled and Frozen, Pounds Certified by Type, United States, January 1999 with Comparisons 1/ (continued) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Turkeys : :------------------------------------------------: Total : Fryer- : : : Total : Poultry : Roasters : Young : Old : Turkeys : :---------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Pounds Dec 1998 : Chilled : 209 215,620 1,677 217,506 2,444,932 Frozen : --- 212,534 1,043 213,577 436,449 : Total : 209 428,154 2,720 431,083 2,881,381 : Jan 1998 : Chilled : --- 208,394 1,871 210,265 2,411,284 Frozen : --- 222,149 1,319 223,468 445,591 : Total : --- 430,543 3,190 433,733 2,856,875 : Jan 1999 : Chilled : --- 199,455 1,466 200,921 2,462,721 Frozen : --- 205,799 482 206,281 424,369 : Total : --- 405,254 1,949 407,202 2,887,090 : : Jan-Jan 1998 : Chilled : --- 208,394 1,871 210,265 2,411,284 Frozen : --- 222,149 1,319 223,468 445,591 : Total : --- 430,543 3,190 433,733 2,856,875 : Jan-Jan 1999 : Chilled : --- 199,455 1,466 200,921 2,462,721 Frozen : --- 205,799 482 206,281 424,369 : Total : --- 405,254 1,949 407,202 2,887,090 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Ready-to-cook weights. Totals may not add due to rounding. Poultry Slaughter: Ante-Mortem and Post-Mortem Condemnations by Type, United States, January 1999 with Comparisons 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : Chickens : : Other :------------------------------------: Ducks : Poultry : Young : Mature : Total : : :------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Pounds Ante-Mortem : (Live Weight) : : Dec 1998 : 18,291 1,143 19,434 23 4 Jan 1998 : 13,636 1,223 14,859 14 3 Jan 1999 : 16,091 1,216 17,308 18 2 : Jan-Jan 1998 : 13,636 1,223 14,859 14 3 Jan-Jan 1999 : 16,091 1,216 17,308 18 2 : Percent 2/ : : Jan 1998 : 0.42 1.65 0.45 0.10 0.25 Jan 1999 : 0.49 1.61 0.51 0.14 0.29 : : 1,000 Pounds Post-Mortem : (N.Y. Dressed Weight) : : Dec 1998 : 50,570 4,563 55,134 311 8 Jan 1998 : 50,428 4,238 54,666 284 9 Jan 1999 : 54,939 4,649 59,588 291 4 : Jan-Jan 1998 : 50,428 4,238 54,666 284 9 Jan-Jan 1999 : 54,939 4,649 59,588 291 4 : Percent 3/ : : Jan 1998 : 1.73 6.35 1.84 2.33 0.89 Jan 1999 : 1.84 6.85 1.95 2.49 0.61 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- See footnotes at end of table. -- continued Poultry Slaughter: Ante-Mortem and Post-Mortem Condemnations by Type, United States, January 1999 with Comparisons 1/ (continued) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Turkeys : :--------------------------------------------: Total : Fryer- : : : Total : Poultry : Roasters : Young : Old : Turkeys : :------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Pounds Ante-Mortem : (Live Weight) : : Dec 1998 : 2 1,475 29 1,506 20,967 Jan 1998 : --- 1,590 30 1,620 16,495 Jan 1999 : --- 1,736 30 1,765 19,093 : Jan-Jan 1998 : --- 1,590 30 1,620 16,495 Jan-Jan 1999 : --- 1,736 30 1,765 19,093 : Percent 2/ : : Jan 1998 : --- 0.29 0.70 0.29 0.43 Jan 1999 : --- 0.34 1.12 0.34 0.49 : : 1,000 Pounds Post-Mortem : (N.Y. Dressed Weight) : : Dec 1998 : 14 10,148 215 10,376 65,828 Jan 1998 : --- 11,389 320 11,709 66,669 Jan 1999 : --- 10,531 236 10,767 70,649 : Jan-Jan 1998 : --- 11,389 320 11,709 66,669 Jan-Jan 1999 : --- 10,531 236 10,767 70,649 : Percent 3/ : : Jan 1998 : --- 2.31 8.34 2.36 1.91 Jan 1999 : --- 2.27 9.93 2.31 2.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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, January 1998-99 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Average : Number : Live Weight : Live Weight State : Inspected : Inspected : Inspected 1/ :-----------------------:---------------------------:------------------- : 1998 : 1999 : 1998 : 1999 : 1998 : 1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ 1,000 ------ ---- 1,000 Pounds ---- --- Pounds --- : AL : 77,911 76,150 377,671 391,611 4.85 5.14 AR : 98,003 94,852 472,786 468,406 4.82 4.94 CA : 20,911 22,596 105,726 113,726 5.06 5.03 DE : 24,291 22,517 127,532 130,934 5.25 5.81 FL : 12,189 10,599 57,008 56,760 4.68 5.36 GA : 94,535 92,690 467,573 463,923 4.95 5.01 LA : 12,739 15,154 60,102 69,254 4.72 4.57 MD : 17,577 16,217 82,456 78,411 4.69 4.84 MS : 55,951 59,701 269,106 293,263 4.81 4.91 MO : 29,648 29,942 127,554 136,419 4.30 4.56 NC : 54,506 52,689 297,163 301,513 5.45 5.72 PA : 9,390 8,597 49,123 44,338 5.23 5.16 SC : 19,806 17,682 93,010 85,788 4.70 4.85 TN : 13,574 16,206 61,751 80,801 4.55 4.99 TX : 42,144 43,717 191,324 204,789 4.54 4.68 VA : 30,795 30,159 145,564 143,001 4.73 4.74 WA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : 668,891 661,635 3,233,705 3,313,264 4.83 5.01 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Average weight based on unrounded data. Young Chickens Slaughtered: Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, Selected States and United States, January 1998-99 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Post-Mortem Condemnations : Total :----------------------------------------- State : Certified 1/ : N.Y. Dressed Weight : Percent 2/ :-----------------------------:----------------------------------------- : 1998 : 1999 : 1998 : 1999 : 1998 : 1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------------ 1,000 Pounds ------------------ -- Percent -- : AL : 276,093 291,765 7,845 7,390 2.31 2.10 AR : 339,968 338,043 6,108 6,561 1.44 1.56 CA : 76,665 83,543 1,777 1,399 1.87 1.37 DE : 92,523 95,305 2,450 3,090 2.13 2.62 FL : 39,445 41,626 1,143 1,278 2.23 2.50 GA : 348,662 339,766 6,574 9,067 1.56 2.17 LA : 42,386 47,283 1,113 1,818 2.06 2.92 MD : 58,970 55,547 1,281 1,338 1.73 1.90 MS : 202,229 213,881 3,679 4,512 1.52 1.71 MO : 93,145 100,815 1,694 1,543 1.48 1.26 NC : 222,888 226,966 5,422 5,220 2.03 1.92 PA : 34,579 30,317 1,385 1,500 3.13 3.76 SC : 67,710 63,120 1,604 1,601 1.92 2.07 TN : 44,948 59,192 682 931 1.23 1.28 TX : 145,093 155,430 2,389 2,259 1.39 1.23 VA : 102,463 101,530 1,681 1,541 1.28 1.20 WA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : 2,368,541 2,424,912 50,428 54,939 1.73 1.84 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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, January 1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Tuber- : : : Airsac- : : State : culosis : Leukosis : Septicemia : culitis : Synovitis : Tumors ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : AL : --- 2,739 218,357 271,357 1,703 18,909 AR : --- 4,539 355,517 192,403 6,880 8,196 CA : --- --- 115,506 4,959 1,196 5,830 DE : --- 18,767 128,288 107,750 143 --- FL : --- --- --- --- --- --- GA : --- --- 165,470 601,598 1,624 13,258 LA : --- 252 54,030 72,533 304 3,046 MD : --- --- 103,084 66,877 126 10,402 MS : --- 5,278 164,572 228,539 2,001 5,701 MO : --- --- 97,042 32,427 2,272 2,326 NC : --- 7,025 153,333 132,582 --- 52,232 PA : --- --- 42,081 52,598 244 --- SC : --- 1,524 39,083 99,987 101 6,042 TN : --- 577 57,199 28,031 --- --- TX : --- --- 131,995 55,981 602 3,266 VA : --- 2,593 79,597 54,246 120 --- WA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : --- 93,947 2,158,355 2,086,852 32,011 186,105 :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Contam- : : : : Bruises : Cadaver : ination : Overscald : Other : Total :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : AL : 11,678 40,849 66,493 14,348 257,114 903,547 AR : 12,486 44,263 52,499 8,302 119,932 805,017 CA : 642 7,608 3,159 --- 23,703 162,603 DE : 3,329 14,520 17,118 2,318 65,966 358,199 FL : 1,535 2,884 6,838 376 --- 11,633 GA : 13,033 43,716 83,221 9,868 389,350 1,321,138 LA : 1,956 9,790 10,130 598 26,303 178,942 MD : 2,121 10,023 --- 726 28,242 221,601 MS : 5,899 28,656 30,241 2,419 222,777 696,083 MO : 3,331 --- 15,197 517 34,851 187,963 NC : 9,469 51,026 49,060 6,912 162,825 624,464 PA : 2,263 3,562 --- 398 40,175 141,321 SC : 4,988 14,215 12,817 6,439 57,520 242,716 TN : 2,799 9,331 --- --- 17,307 115,244 TX : 1,604 13,359 14,588 2,544 9,585 233,524 VA : 2,139 17,337 7,886 1,765 60,116 225,799 WA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : 85,281 377,664 499,396 64,342 1,703,637 7,287,590 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mature Chickens Slaughtered: Number, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight, Selected States and United States, January 1998-99 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Average : Number : Live Weight : Live Weight State : Inspected : Inspected : Inspected 1/ :-----------------------:---------------------------:------------------- : 1998 : 1999 : 1998 : 1999 : 1998 : 1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ 1,000 ------ ---- 1,000 Pounds ---- --- Pounds --- : CA : --- --- --- --- --- --- GA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : 14,769 15,218 74,207 75,365 5.02 4.95 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Average weight based on unrounded data. Mature Chickens Slaughtered: Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, Selected States and United States, January 1998-99 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Post-Mortem Condemnations : Total :----------------------------------------- State : Certified 1/ : N.Y. Dressed Weight : Percent 2/ :-----------------------------:----------------------------------------- : 1998 : 1999 : 1998 : 1999 : 1998 : 1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------------ 1,000 Pounds ------------------ -- Percent -- : CA : --- --- --- --- --- --- GA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : 44,264 45,490 4,238 4,649 6.35 6.85 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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, January 1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Tuber- : : : Airsac- : : State : culosis : Leukosis : Septicemia : culitis : Synovitis : Tumors ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : CA : --- --- --- 131 --- --- GA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : --- 9,229 366,292 16,669 802 148,932 :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Contam- : : : : Bruises : Cadaver : ination : Overscald : Other : Total :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : CA : 40 --- --- --- --- 171 GA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : 27,036 35,210 182,032 1,461 47,577 835,240 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Young Turkeys (Mature) Slaughtered: Number, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight, Selected States and United States, January 1998-99 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Average : Number : Live Weight : Live Weight State : Inspected : Inspected : Inspected 1/ :-----------------------:---------------------------:------------------- : 1998 : 1999 : 1998 : 1999 : 1998 : 1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ 1,000 ------ ---- 1,000 Pounds ---- --- Pounds --- : AR : 2,206 2,074 39,689 36,873 17.99 17.78 CA : 1,482 1,227 34,868 29,677 23.53 24.18 IA : 1,099 1,027 32,342 33,606 29.44 32.71 MN : 3,022 2,840 68,219 69,717 22.57 24.55 MO : 1,980 1,924 54,702 55,329 27.63 28.76 NC : 3,406 2,449 95,317 65,139 27.98 26.60 PA : --- --- --- --- --- --- VA : 3,035 3,081 58,424 68,212 19.25 22.14 : US : 21,608 19,513 547,785 514,570 25.35 26.37 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Average weight based on unrounded data. Young Turkeys (Mature) Slaughtered: Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, Selected States and United States, January 1998-99 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Post-Mortem Condemnations : Total :----------------------------------------- State : Certified 1/ : N.Y. Dressed Weight : Percent 2/ :-----------------------------:----------------------------------------- : 1998 : 1999 : 1998 : 1999 : 1998 : 1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------------ 1,000 Pounds ------------------ -- Percent -- : AR : 32,276 30,013 549 549 1.54 1.65 CA : 27,677 23,697 810 416 2.58 1.56 IA : 25,268 26,090 899 922 3.09 3.05 MN : 53,324 55,113 1,938 1,965 3.16 3.13 MO : 43,036 43,607 1,354 1,279 2.75 2.57 NC : 75,157 51,257 1,599 1,076 1.86 1.84 PA : --- --- --- --- --- --- VA : 46,377 53,429 948 1,009 1.80 1.64 : US : 430,543 405,254 11,389 10,531 2.31 2.27 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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, January 1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Tuber- : : : Airsac- : : State : culosis : Leukosis : Septicemia : culitis : Synovitis : Tumors ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : AR : --- --- 5,452 619 --- --- CA : --- --- 6,164 59 --- --- IA : --- --- 5,000 2,775 --- --- MN : --- --- 15,425 --- --- --- MO : --- --- 23,421 --- --- --- NC : --- --- 5,129 --- --- --- PA : --- --- --- --- --- --- VA : --- --- 4,876 427 --- --- : US : --- 75 91,330 14,734 4,989 147 :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Contam- : : : : Bruises : Cadaver : ination : Overscald : Other : Total :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : AR : --- --- --- --- --- 6,071 CA : --- --- --- --- --- 6,223 IA : 37 --- 577 --- --- 8,389 MN : 177 816 1,297 --- 1,250 18,965 MO : 140 857 753 --- 1,301 26,472 NC : 100 --- --- --- 734 5,963 PA : 107 --- --- --- --- 107 VA : 30 1,965 233 --- 1,366 8,897 : US : 955 9,094 8,683 2,772 9,489 142,268 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Old Turkeys (Breeders) Slaughtered: Number Condemned Post-Mortem by Cause, United States, January 1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Tuber- : : : Airsac- : : State : culosis : Leukosis : Septicemia : culitis : Synovitis : Tumors ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : US : --- --- 4,403 524 --- 40 :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Contam- : : : : Bruises : Cadaver : ination : Overscald : Other : Total :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : US : 44 140 173 --- 391 5,715 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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., January 1998-1999................................................. 11 Mature Chickens Post-Mortem Condemnations by Cause, Selected States and U.S., January 1998-1999............................. 11 Mature Chickens Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, U.S., January 1998-1999................................................. 11 Old Turkeys (Breeders) Post-Mortem Condemnations by Cause, U.S., January 1998-1999................................................. 14 Poultry Chilled and Frozen Pounds Certified (RTC) by Type, U.S., January 1998...................................................... 4 Poultry Slaughter Ante-Mortem and Post-Mortem Condemnations by Type, U.S., January 1998............................................. 6 Poultry Slaughter Number Inspected, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight by Type, U.S., January 1998................................. 2 Reliability Statement.................................................... 15 Young Chickens Number Inspected, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight, Selected States and U.S., January 1998-1999............................. 8 Young Chickens Post-Mortem Condemnations by Cause, Selected States and U.S., January 1998-1999............................. 10 Young Chickens Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, Selected States and U.S., January 1998-1999............................. 9 Young Turkeys (Mature) Number Inspected, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight, Selected States and U.S., January 1998-1999................ 12 Young Turkeys (Mature) Post-Mortem Condemnations by Cause, Selected States and U.S., January 1998-1999............................. 13 Young Turkeys (Mature) Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, Selected States and U.S., January 1998-1999............................. 12 The next "Poultry Slaughter" report will be released at 3 p.m. ET on April 5, 1999. 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