Pou 2-1 (10-99) Poultry Slaughter National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released October 4, 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) 720-0585 or Mike Barker (202)720-3243, office hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. Ready-to-Cook Weight Up 11 Percent Poultry certified wholesome during August (ready-to-cook weight), totaled 3.02 billion pounds, up 11 percent from the amount certified in August 1998. Updated totals for July 1999 show that 2.96 billion pounds were certified. The preliminary total live weight of poultry inspected during August 1999 was 4.07 billion pounds, up 10 percent from a year ago. Inspections included 3.39 billion pounds of young chickens, up 10 percent; 77.2 million pounds of mature chickens, up 6 percent; 595 million pounds of turkeys, up 10 percent; and 12.3 million pounds of ducks, down 2 percent from August 1998. Young chickens slaughtered during August 1999 averaged 4.82 pounds per bird, up 1 percent from August 1998. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.43 pounds per bird, up 5 percent from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during August 1999 averaged 24.7 pounds per bird, up 3 percent from August 1998. Ante-mortem condemnations during August 1999 totaled 20.6 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.51 percent of the live weight inspected, compared with 0.55 percent a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 66.7 million pounds (N.Y. dressed weight), were 1.82 percent of quantities inspected, compared with 1.97 percent a year earlier. August 1999 contained 22 weekdays and four Saturdays. August 1998 had 21 weekdays and five Saturdays. Poultry Slaughter: Number, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight by Type, United States, August 1999 with Comparisons 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : Chickens : : Other :---------------------------------------: Ducks : Poultry : Young : Mature 2/ : Total : : :---------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head Number Inspected : : Jul 1999 : 686,713 14,921 701,634 1,876 ----- Aug 1998 : 651,038 14,169 665,207 1,962 ----- Aug 1999 : 703,410 14,211 717,620 1,935 ----- : Jan-Aug 1998 : 5,231,618 115,724 5,347,342 15,398 ----- Jan-Aug 1999 : 5,440,424 120,321 5,560,745 15,266 ----- : : 1,000 Pounds Live Weight : : Jul 1999 : 3,353,080 77,804 3,430,884 12,123 1,061 Aug 1998 : 3,093,523 72,941 3,166,464 12,547 1,486 Aug 1999 : 3,387,913 77,167 3,465,080 12,324 1,892 : Jan-Aug 1998 : 25,199,586 588,292 25,787,877 101,340 8,908 Jan-Aug 1999 : 27,043,228 619,489 27,662,718 100,535 8,219 : : Pounds Average Live Weight : : Jul 1999 : 4.88 5.21 4.89 6.46 ----- Aug 1998 : 4.75 5.15 4.76 6.40 ----- Aug 1999 : 4.82 5.43 4.83 6.37 ----- : Jan-Aug 1998 : 4.82 5.08 4.82 6.58 ----- Jan-Aug 1999 : 4.97 5.15 4.97 6.59 ----- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- See footnotes at end of table. -- continued Poultry Slaughter: Number, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight by Type, United States, August 1999 with Comparisons 1/ (continued) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Turkeys : :--------------------------------------------: Total : Fryer- : : : Total : Poultry : Roasters : Young 3/ : Old : Turkeys : :---------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head Number Inspected : : Jul 1999 : --- 21,964 175 22,139 ----- Aug 1998 : 40 22,162 158 22,360 ----- Aug 1999 : --- 23,838 228 24,066 ----- : Jan-Aug 1998 : 40 177,442 1,235 178,716 ----- Jan-Aug 1999 : 56 170,844 1,217 172,117 ----- : : 1,000 Pounds Live Weight : : Jul 1999 : --- 552,810 4,544 557,354 4,001,422 Aug 1998 : 356 534,616 4,040 539,012 3,719,509 Aug 1999 : --- 589,567 5,798 595,365 4,074,661 : Jan-Aug 1998 : 356 4,406,134 32,412 4,438,903 30,337,028 Jan-Aug 1999 : 491 4,347,334 32,143 4,379,968 32,151,439 : : Pounds Average Live Weight : : Jul 1999 : --- 25.17 26.01 25.18 ----- Aug 1998 : 8.96 24.12 25.53 24.11 ----- Aug 1999 : --- 24.73 25.38 24.74 ----- : Jan-Aug 1998 : 8.96 24.83 26.25 24.84 ----- Jan-Aug 1999 : 8.85 25.45 26.41 25.45 ----- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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: August 1998: 5,308, August 1999: 6,385. 3/ Of the Young Turkeys inspected, the number reported in thousands as young breeders was: August 1998: 119, August 1999: 79. Poultry Slaughter: Chilled and Frozen, Pounds Certified by Type, United States, August 1999 with Comparisons 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : Chickens : : Other :---------------------------------------------: Ducks : Poultry : Young : Mature : Total : : :---------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Pounds Jul 1999 : Chilled : 2,244,454 43,410 2,287,864 3,144 342 Frozen : 222,578 3,334 225,913 5,366 260 : Total : 2,467,032 46,745 2,513,776 8,510 602 : Aug 1998 : Chilled : 2,059,652 39,947 2,099,599 2,962 452 Frozen : 206,038 3,357 209,395 5,986 401 : Total : 2,265,690 43,304 2,308,994 8,948 854 : Aug 1999 : Chilled : 2,283,017 43,526 2,326,543 3,377 422 Frozen : 212,916 3,173 216,088 5,232 655 : Total : 2,495,932 46,699 2,542,631 8,609 1,077 : : Jan-Aug 1998 : Chilled : 16,811,764 324,367 17,136,131 24,785 3,161 Frozen : 1,644,157 29,246 1,673,402 47,637 1,838 : Total : 18,455,921 353,613 18,809,534 72,422 4,999 : Jan-Aug 1999 : Chilled : 18,120,945 345,917 18,466,862 27,232 2,674 Frozen : 1,730,644 26,984 1,757,628 43,292 2,035 : Total : 19,851,589 372,901 20,224,490 70,524 4,708 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- See footnotes at end of table. -- continued Poultry Slaughter: Chilled and Frozen, Pounds Certified by Type, United States, August 1999 with Comparisons 1/ (continued) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Turkeys : :------------------------------------------------: Total : Fryer- : : : Total : Poultry : Roasters : Young : Old : Turkeys : :---------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Pounds Jul 1999 : Chilled : --- 182,271 2,036 184,307 2,475,657 Frozen : --- 252,467 1,390 253,857 485,396 : Total : --- 434,738 3,426 438,164 2,961,052 : Aug 1998 : Chilled : 30 189,222 2,239 191,491 2,294,505 Frozen : 215 220,657 821 221,693 437,475 : Total : 245 409,879 3,061 413,184 2,731,980 : Aug 1999 : Chilled : --- 205,226 2,596 207,822 2,538,164 Frozen : --- 258,758 1,791 260,549 482,525 : Total : --- 463,983 4,388 468,371 3,020,689 : : Jan-Aug 1998 : Chilled : 30 1,631,078 17,372 1,648,480 18,812,557 Frozen : 215 1,828,190 7,138 1,835,543 3,558,420 : Total : 245 3,459,268 24,510 3,484,023 22,370,977 : Jan-Aug 1999 : Chilled : 35 1,550,740 16,095 1,566,870 20,063,637 Frozen : 313 1,873,381 8,013 1,881,707 3,684,662 : Total : 348 3,424,121 24,108 3,448,577 23,748,299 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Ready-to-cook weights. Totals may not add due to rounding. Poultry Slaughter: Ante-Mortem and Post-Mortem Condemnations by Type, United States, August 1999 with Comparisons 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : Chickens : : Other :------------------------------------: Ducks : Poultry : Young : Mature : Total : : :------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Pounds Ante-Mortem : (Live Weight) : : Jul 1999 : 19,815 2,651 22,466 17 5 Aug 1998 : 16,351 2,113 18,464 19 6 Aug 1999 : 16,920 1,935 18,856 26 8 : Jan-Aug 1998 : 110,979 11,625 122,604 113 37 Jan-Aug 1999 : 121,092 12,422 133,515 144 47 : Percent 2/ : : Aug 1998 : 0.53 2.90 0.58 0.15 0.39 Aug 1999 : 0.50 2.51 0.54 0.21 0.44 : : 1,000 Pounds Post-Mortem : (N.Y. Dressed Weight) : : Jul 1999 : 48,083 4,755 52,838 251 9 Aug 1998 : 50,056 4,312 54,368 268 18 Aug 1999 : 49,158 4,701 53,860 271 15 : Jan-Aug 1998 : 402,391 34,126 436,517 2,102 90 Jan-Aug 1999 : 409,857 38,352 448,209 2,299 65 : Percent 3/ : : Aug 1998 : 1.80 6.57 1.91 2.38 1.35 Aug 1999 : 1.61 6.77 1.73 2.44 0.91 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- See footnotes at end of table. -- continued Poultry Slaughter: Ante-Mortem and Post-Mortem Condemnations by Type, United States, August 1999 with Comparisons 1/ (continued) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Turkeys : :--------------------------------------------: Total : Fryer- : : : Total : Poultry : Roasters : Young : Old : Turkeys : :------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Pounds Ante-Mortem : (Live Weight) : : Jul 1999 : --- 2,363 74 2,437 24,925 Aug 1998 : 1 1,832 72 1,905 20,393 Aug 1999 : --- 1,703 54 1,757 20,647 : Jan-Aug 1998 : 1 13,080 299 13,380 136,134 Jan-Aug 1999 : 1 12,450 350 12,800 146,506 : Percent 2/ : : Aug 1998 : 0.18 0.34 1.78 0.35 0.55 Aug 1999 : --- 0.29 0.94 0.30 0.51 : : 1,000 Pounds Post-Mortem : (N.Y. Dressed Weight) : : Jul 1999 : --- 11,181 283 11,464 64,561 Aug 1998 : 7 10,909 229 11,145 65,799 Aug 1999 : --- 12,234 312 12,546 66,692 : Jan-Aug 1998 : 7 87,646 2,139 89,792 528,501 Jan-Aug 1999 : 5 87,053 2,224 89,282 539,855 : Percent 3/ : : Aug 1998 : 2.20 2.27 6.30 2.30 1.97 Aug 1999 : --- 2.31 5.98 2.34 1.82 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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, August 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 : 71,173 81,725 351,385 408,048 4.94 4.99 AR : 95,391 104,773 440,418 481,752 4.62 4.60 DE : 22,845 24,155 119,959 134,243 5.25 5.56 FL : 10,403 10,718 53,580 54,615 5.15 5.10 GA : 95,695 99,797 460,649 479,230 4.81 4.80 LA : 14,422 13,650 63,221 58,526 4.38 4.29 MD : 17,282 18,091 80,497 84,814 4.66 4.69 MS : 55,857 58,936 260,344 280,363 4.66 4.76 MO : 30,157 30,895 126,760 136,445 4.20 4.42 NC : 49,827 56,111 266,214 304,470 5.34 5.43 PA : 9,303 10,064 46,975 51,598 5.05 5.13 SC : 18,290 18,111 84,222 83,275 4.60 4.60 TN : 15,198 17,472 71,854 79,565 4.73 4.55 TX : 44,413 46,158 191,136 206,427 4.30 4.47 VA : 30,020 30,946 141,722 147,938 4.72 4.78 WA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : 651,038 703,410 3,093,523 3,387,913 4.75 4.82 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Average weight based on unrounded data. Young Chickens Slaughtered: Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, Selected States and United States, August 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 : 264,596 301,259 8,016 7,710 2.53 2.10 AR : 318,750 352,203 6,285 6,227 1.59 1.44 DE : 87,494 97,782 1,934 2,380 1.79 1.97 FL : 37,119 39,054 1,134 1,159 2.35 2.36 GA : 341,971 351,167 6,681 6,829 1.61 1.58 LA : 43,300 41,782 1,522 1,643 2.67 3.12 MD : 55,299 59,764 2,269 1,809 3.13 2.37 MS : 196,467 217,307 3,585 3,010 1.53 1.19 MO : 91,539 100,091 1,401 1,727 1.23 1.41 NC : 200,300 231,283 4,363 4,266 1.82 1.56 PA : 32,610 36,210 1,319 1,214 3.12 2.61 SC : 61,332 60,256 1,705 1,586 2.25 2.12 TN : 51,639 57,721 881 642 1.36 0.90 TX : 144,446 159,451 2,220 2,450 1.29 1.32 VA : 98,748 102,937 1,753 1,347 1.37 1.01 WA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : 2,265,690 2,495,932 50,056 49,158 1.80 1.61 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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, August 1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Tuber- : : : Airsac- : : State : culosis : Leukosis : Septicemia : culitis : Synovitis : Tumors ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : AL : --- 1,679 226,144 265,224 4,550 11,908 AR : --- 4,415 341,770 126,997 22,158 5,260 DE : --- 3,555 128,884 46,327 351 --- FL : --- --- --- --- --- --- GA : --- 2,167 169,282 212,166 1,709 8,705 LA : --- 305 62,667 62,555 950 988 MD : --- 3,157 102,888 26,342 66 6,638 MS : --- 1,222 139,908 44,162 1,256 2,235 MO : --- 2,195 82,471 40,244 3,339 2,018 NC : --- 4,219 168,619 70,202 --- --- PA : --- --- 35,418 17,150 218 --- SC : --- 785 37,188 53,727 114 --- TN : --- 273 47,200 --- 741 --- TX : --- --- 129,563 39,366 1,079 2,123 VA : --- --- 82,259 23,530 42 --- WA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : --- 38,896 2,093,849 1,127,767 50,262 144,085 :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Contam- : : : : Bruises : Cadaver : ination : Overscald : Other : Total :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : AL : 16,086 55,791 78,602 19,698 250,860 930,542 AR : 15,548 42,672 64,582 5,815 133,730 762,947 DE : 3,623 14,806 20,664 --- 43,679 261,889 FL : 3,132 4,520 10,338 --- --- 17,990 GA : 16,316 56,359 79,421 10,420 330,545 887,090 LA : 1,810 7,531 10,701 --- --- 147,507 MD : 1,897 --- --- --- 23,657 164,645 MS : 7,205 29,402 34,449 1,841 112,060 373,740 MO : 3,320 19,559 23,063 --- 63,233 239,442 NC : 10,417 41,483 39,371 8,544 101,209 444,064 PA : 2,803 5,400 --- 388 39,365 100,742 SC : 5,619 13,901 12,890 3,342 46,277 173,843 TN : 2,335 7,084 --- 2,497 27,830 87,960 TX : 2,739 17,608 19,813 --- 14,862 227,153 VA : 2,590 11,880 7,566 4,135 45,829 177,831 WA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : 102,872 384,961 537,943 92,106 1,467,561 6,040,302 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mature Chickens Slaughtered: Number, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight, Selected States and United States, August 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 : 14,169 14,211 72,941 77,167 5.15 5.43 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Average weight based on unrounded data. Mature Chickens Slaughtered: Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, Selected States and United States, August 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 : 43,304 46,699 4,312 4,701 6.57 6.77 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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, August 1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Tuber- : : : Airsac- : : State : culosis : Leukosis : Septicemia : culitis : Synovitis : Tumors ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : CA : --- --- --- --- --- --- GA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : --- 7,211 273,296 13,707 1,127 135,875 :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Contam- : : : : Bruises : Cadaver : ination : Overscald : Other : Total :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : CA : --- --- 554 --- --- 554 GA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : 32,472 61,242 205,403 1,496 71,634 803,463 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Young Turkeys (Mature) Slaughtered: Number, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight, Selected States and United States, August 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 : 2,175 2,279 36,929 40,168 16.98 17.63 CA : 1,494 2,189 32,025 54,407 21.43 24.86 IA : 1,255 1,448 33,866 40,957 26.99 28.28 MN : 3,929 4,108 98,960 97,523 25.19 23.74 MO : 1,890 2,120 49,618 58,036 26.25 27.37 NC : 2,746 2,636 67,893 63,085 24.73 23.94 PA : --- --- --- --- --- --- VA : 2,860 3,093 55,752 68,211 19.50 22.05 : US : 22,162 23,838 534,616 589,567 24.12 24.73 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Average weight based on unrounded data. Young Turkeys (Mature) Slaughtered: Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, Selected States and United States, August 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 : 29,173 32,837 874 832 2.63 2.30 CA : 25,834 43,248 493 787 1.71 1.61 IA : 25,967 31,751 847 1,045 2.78 2.83 MN : 69,200 77,172 2,109 2,647 2.37 3.02 MO : 39,218 45,256 1,042 1,310 2.33 2.51 NC : 53,582 49,752 1,383 1,328 2.26 2.34 PA : --- --- --- --- --- --- VA : 43,050 53,328 767 924 1.53 1.51 : US : 409,879 463,983 10,909 12,234 2.27 2.31 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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, August 1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Tuber- : : : Airsac- : : State : culosis : Leukosis : Septicemia : culitis : Synovitis : Tumors ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : AR : --- --- 7,026 --- --- --- CA : --- --- 10,881 --- 4 --- IA : --- --- 6,348 2,874 --- --- MN : --- --- 18,055 3,168 1,471 24 MO : --- --- 20,933 --- --- --- NC : --- --- 3,555 --- --- --- PA : --- --- 3,437 --- 50 --- VA : --- 12 3,573 --- --- --- : US : --- 150 96,744 25,607 6,218 72 :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Contam- : : : : Bruises : Cadaver : ination : Overscald : Other : Total :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : AR : --- --- --- --- --- 7,026 CA : --- --- --- 177 --- 11,062 IA : --- 290 --- --- --- 9,512 MN : 261 1,769 1,255 --- 2,275 28,278 MO : --- 419 882 --- 1,940 24,174 NC : 98 --- --- --- --- 3,653 PA : 52 --- --- --- --- 3,539 VA : --- --- --- --- 1,383 4,968 : US : 821 12,185 11,214 3,519 19,076 175,606 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Old Turkeys (Breeders) Slaughtered: Number Condemned Post-Mortem by Cause, United States, August 1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Tuber- : : : Airsac- : : State : culosis : Leukosis : Septicemia : culitis : Synovitis : Tumors ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : US : --- --- 4,440 876 --- 84 :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Contam- : : : : Bruises : Cadaver : ination : Overscald : Other : Total :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : US : 13 243 184 21 1,540 7,401 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.............................................................. 17 Mature Chickens Number Inspected, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight, U.S., August 1998-1999.................................................. 11 Mature Chickens Post-Mortem Condemnations by Cause, Selected States and U.S., August 1998-1999.............................. 11 Mature Chickens Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, U.S., August 1998-1999.................................................. 11 Old Turkeys (Breeders) Post-Mortem Condemnations by Cause, U.S., August 1998-1999.................................................. 15 Poultry Chilled and Frozen Pounds Certified (RTC) by Type, U.S., August 1998....................................................... 4 Poultry Slaughter Ante-Mortem and Post-Mortem Condemnations by Type, U.S., August 1998.............................................. 6 Poultry Slaughter Number Inspected, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight by Type, U.S., August 1998.................................. 2 Reliability Statement.................................................... 16 Young Chickens Number Inspected, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight, Selected States and U.S., August 1998-1999.............................. 8 Young Chickens Post-Mortem Condemnations by Cause, Selected States and U.S., August 1998-1999.............................. 10 Young Chickens Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, Selected States and U.S., August 1998-1999.............................. 9 Young Turkeys (Mature) Number Inspected, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight, Selected States and U.S., August 1998-1999................. 13 Young Turkeys (Mature) Post-Mortem Condemnations by Cause, Selected States and U.S., August 1998-1999.............................. 14 Young Turkeys (Mature) Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, Selected States and U.S., August 1998-1999.............................. 13 The next "Poultry Slaughter" report will be released at 3 p.m. ET on November 4, 1999. 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