Pou 2-1 (2-00) Poultry Slaughter National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released February 4, 2000, 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 1 Percent Poultry certified wholesome during December (ready-to-cook weight), totaled 2.92 billion pounds, up 1 percent from the amount certified in December 1998. Updated totals for November 1999 show that 2.94 billion pounds were certified. The preliminary total live weight of poultry inspected during December 1999 was 3.95 billion pounds, up fractionally from a year ago. Inspections included 3.31 billion pounds of young chickens, up slightly; 75.3 million pounds of mature chickens, down 1 percent; 549 million pounds of turkeys, unchanged; and 14.6 million pounds of ducks, up 7 percent from December 1998. Young chickens slaughtered during December 1999 averaged 5.04 pounds per bird, up 1 percent from 4.98 pounds per bird in December 1998. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.14 pounds per bird, up 2 percent from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during December 1999 averaged 25.7 pounds per bird, up 4 percent from December 1998. Ante-mortem condemnations during December 1999 totaled 15.3 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.39 percent of the live weight inspected, compared with 0.53 percent a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 62.0 million pounds (N.Y. dressed weight), were 1.75 percent of quantities inspected, compared with 1.86 percent a year earlier. December 1999 contained 23 weekdays (including one holiday) and four Saturdays, the same as December 1998. Poultry Slaughter: Number, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight by Type, United States, December 1999 with Comparisons 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : Chickens : : Other :---------------------------------------: Ducks : Poultry : Young : Mature 2/ : Total : : :---------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head Number Inspected : : Nov 1999 : 647,137 12,777 659,914 1,949 ----- Dec 1998 : 661,113 15,102 676,215 2,042 ----- Dec 1999 : 655,763 14,656 670,420 2,186 ----- : Jan-Dec 1998 : 7,837,684 169,297 8,006,980 23,477 ----- Jan-Dec 1999 : 8,098,247 175,542 8,273,789 23,318 ----- : : 1,000 Pounds Live Weight : : Nov 1999 : 3,241,846 66,835 3,308,680 12,911 1,277 Dec 1998 : 3,291,191 75,764 3,366,955 13,694 835 Dec 1999 : 3,307,134 75,328 3,382,462 14,596 832 : Jan-Dec 1998 : 38,054,849 865,381 38,920,229 154,796 14,582 Jan-Dec 1999 : 40,378,390 913,549 41,291,939 153,960 14,006 : : Pounds Average Live Weight : : Nov 1999 : 5.01 5.23 5.01 6.62 ----- Dec 1998 : 4.98 5.02 4.98 6.70 ----- Dec 1999 : 5.04 5.14 5.05 6.68 ----- : Jan-Dec 1998 : 4.86 5.11 4.86 6.59 ----- Jan-Dec 1999 : 4.99 5.20 4.99 6.60 ----- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- See footnotes at end of table. -- continued Poultry Slaughter: Number, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight by Type, United States, December 1999 with Comparisons 1/ (continued) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Turkeys : :--------------------------------------------: Total : Fryer- : : : Total : Poultry : Roasters : Young 3/ : Old : Turkeys : :---------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head Number Inspected : : Nov 1999 : 1 24,856 123 24,980 ----- Dec 1998 : 33 21,886 139 22,058 ----- Dec 1999 : --- 21,121 226 21,347 ----- : Jan-Dec 1998 : 76 271,055 1,882 273,013 ----- Jan-Dec 1999 : 56 263,315 1,951 265,322 ----- : : 1,000 Pounds Live Weight : : Nov 1999 : 15 621,238 3,274 624,527 3,947,395 Dec 1998 : 280 543,173 3,583 547,036 3,928,520 Dec 1999 : --- 543,000 6,150 549,150 3,947,039 : Jan-Dec 1998 : 660 6,674,862 49,135 6,724,657 45,814,264 Jan-Dec 1999 : 506 6,683,888 51,809 6,736,204 48,196,108 : : Pounds Average Live Weight : : Nov 1999 : --- 24.99 26.59 25.00 ----- Dec 1998 : 8.43 24.82 25.83 24.80 ----- Dec 1999 : --- 25.71 27.25 25.72 ----- : Jan-Dec 1998 : 8.69 24.63 26.11 24.63 ----- Jan-Dec 1999 : 9.00 25.38 26.55 25.39 ----- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 1998: 5,404, December 1999: 5,947. 3/ Of the Young Turkeys inspected, the number reported in thousands as young breeders was: December 1998: 64, December 1999: 70. Poultry Slaughter: Chilled and Frozen, Pounds Certified by Type, United States, December 1999 with Comparisons 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : Chickens : : Other :---------------------------------------------: Ducks : Poultry : Young : Mature : Total : : :---------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Pounds Nov 1999 : Chilled : 2,200,044 38,141 2,238,185 3,895 321 Frozen : 204,253 2,537 206,790 5,288 440 : Total : 2,404,297 40,678 2,444,974 9,184 760 : Dec 1998 : Chilled : 2,181,597 42,358 2,223,955 4,249 326 Frozen : 213,717 3,652 217,369 5,409 172 : Total : 2,395,314 46,010 2,441,324 9,657 498 : Dec 1999 : Chilled : 2,227,100 43,831 2,270,931 4,226 256 Frozen : 206,991 2,283 209,275 5,983 246 : Total : 2,434,091 46,114 2,480,205 10,209 502 : : Jan-Dec 1998 : Chilled : 25,358,496 481,120 25,839,616 39,419 4,771 Frozen : 2,504,184 42,472 2,546,655 70,656 3,596 : Total : 27,862,680 523,592 28,386,272 110,075 8,367 : Jan-Dec 1999 : Chilled : 27,120,138 513,695 27,633,833 42,550 4,012 Frozen : 2,570,541 38,536 2,609,077 65,549 4,130 : Total : 29,690,679 552,231 30,242,910 108,098 8,142 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- See footnotes at end of table. -- continued Poultry Slaughter: Chilled and Frozen, Pounds Certified by Type, United States, December 1999 with Comparisons 1/ (continued) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Turkeys : :------------------------------------------------: Total : Fryer- : : : Total : Poultry : Roasters : Young : Old : Turkeys : :---------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Pounds Nov 1999 : Chilled : 11 252,667 1,357 254,035 2,496,436 Frozen : --- 234,898 1,096 235,994 448,512 : Total : 11 487,565 2,453 490,029 2,944,947 : Dec 1998 : Chilled : 209 215,620 1,677 217,506 2,446,036 Frozen : --- 212,534 1,043 213,577 436,526 : Total : 209 428,154 2,720 431,083 2,882,562 : Dec 1999 : Chilled : --- 217,169 3,040 220,209 2,495,622 Frozen : --- 208,443 1,587 210,029 425,533 : Total : --- 425,612 4,626 430,238 2,921,154 : : Jan-Dec 1998 : Chilled : 257 2,502,124 25,710 2,528,091 28,411,897 Frozen : 215 2,740,597 11,691 2,752,502 5,373,409 : Total : 472 5,242,720 37,400 5,280,593 33,785,306 : Jan-Dec 1999 : Chilled : 46 2,442,068 24,611 2,466,726 30,147,120 Frozen : 313 2,815,616 14,099 2,830,029 5,508,785 : Total : 359 5,257,684 38,711 5,296,754 35,655,905 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 1999 with Comparisons 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : Chickens : : Other :------------------------------------: Ducks : Poultry : Young : Mature : Total : : :------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Pounds Ante-Mortem : (Live Weight) : : Nov 1999 : 10,708 675 11,383 16 3 Dec 1998 : 18,292 1,143 19,435 23 4 Dec 1999 : 13,016 882 13,898 18 1 : Jan-Dec 1998 : 167,654 15,455 183,109 188 56 Jan-Dec 1999 : 170,754 15,791 186,545 241 78 : Percent 2/ : : Dec 1998 : 0.56 1.51 0.58 0.17 0.45 Dec 1999 : 0.39 1.17 0.41 0.12 0.09 : : 1,000 Pounds Post-Mortem : (N.Y. Dressed Weight) : : Nov 1999 : 43,668 4,105 47,773 275 21 Dec 1998 : 50,589 4,563 55,153 311 8 Dec 1999 : 45,811 4,713 50,524 337 6 : Jan-Dec 1998 : 600,661 50,805 651,465 3,289 155 Jan-Dec 1999 : 589,219 56,046 645,265 3,456 153 : Percent 3/ : : Dec 1998 : 1.71 6.69 1.82 2.52 1.01 Dec 1999 : 1.54 6.95 1.66 2.57 0.87 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- See footnotes at end of table. -- continued Poultry Slaughter: Ante-Mortem and Post-Mortem Condemnations by Type, United States, December 1999 with Comparisons 1/ (continued) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Turkeys : :--------------------------------------------: Total : Fryer- : : : Total : Poultry : Roasters : Young : Old : Turkeys : :------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Pounds Ante-Mortem : (Live Weight) : : Nov 1999 : --- 1,204 27 1,230 12,632 Dec 1998 : 2 1,475 29 1,506 20,968 Dec 1999 : --- 1,288 75 1,363 15,279 : Jan-Dec 1998 : 3 18,517 413 18,934 202,287 Jan-Dec 1999 : 1 17,701 512 18,214 205,078 : Percent 2/ : : Dec 1998 : 0.77 0.27 0.80 0.28 0.53 Dec 1999 : --- 0.24 1.22 0.25 0.39 : : 1,000 Pounds Post-Mortem : (N.Y. Dressed Weight) : : Nov 1999 : --- 11,170 214 11,384 59,453 Dec 1998 : 14 10,148 215 10,376 65,847 Dec 1999 : --- 10,806 365 11,171 62,039 : Jan-Dec 1998 : 22 130,558 2,990 133,569 788,479 Jan-Dec 1999 : 5 131,948 3,458 135,411 784,285 : Percent 3/ : : Dec 1998 : 5.44 2.08 6.66 2.11 1.86 Dec 1999 : --- 2.21 6.60 2.26 1.75 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 1998-1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Average : Number : Live Weight : Live Weight State : Inspected : Inspected : Inspected 1/ :-----------------------:---------------------------:------------------- : 1998 : 1999 : 1998 : 1999 : 1998 : 1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ 1,000 ------ ---- 1,000 Pounds ---- --- Pounds --- : AL : 71,115 76,294 353,902 388,978 4.98 5.10 AR : 97,076 93,127 473,648 449,475 4.88 4.83 DE : 22,302 21,026 129,091 126,041 5.79 5.99 FL : 11,039 10,252 59,763 56,609 5.41 5.52 GA : 97,553 91,985 480,563 461,829 4.93 5.02 LA : 13,926 13,682 62,296 60,170 4.47 4.40 MD : 16,776 16,972 80,987 81,763 4.83 4.82 MS : 58,320 56,796 286,580 288,192 4.91 5.07 MO : 29,674 29,298 133,880 132,777 4.51 4.53 NC : 54,660 55,666 311,254 324,250 5.69 5.82 PA : 8,488 8,879 43,506 46,248 5.13 5.21 SC : 18,880 17,376 89,458 86,277 4.74 4.97 TN : 16,336 17,848 82,582 85,577 5.06 4.79 TX : 44,251 44,430 206,771 212,327 4.67 4.78 VA : 29,084 26,525 142,843 132,250 4.91 4.99 WA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : 661,113 655,763 3,291,191 3,307,134 4.98 5.04 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Average weight based on unrounded data. Young Chickens Slaughtered: Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, Selected States and United States, December 1998-1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Post-Mortem Condemnations : Total :----------------------------------------- State : Certified 1/ : N.Y. Dressed Weight : Percent 2/ :-----------------------------:----------------------------------------- : 1998 : 1999 : 1998 : 1999 : 1998 : 1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------------ 1,000 Pounds ------------------ -- Percent -- : AL : 262,604 283,151 6,110 7,105 1.92 2.03 AR : 338,342 327,512 5,836 5,550 1.37 1.37 DE : 93,601 91,946 2,597 1,983 2.24 1.75 FL : 41,415 41,481 1,603 1,026 2.98 2.01 GA : 351,905 332,929 7,435 7,316 1.72 1.76 LA : 43,921 42,276 2,027 684 3.62 1.26 MD : 57,147 56,931 1,303 1,262 1.79 1.71 MS : 209,815 225,662 4,222 2,787 1.64 1.07 MO : 96,664 96,519 1,740 1,518 1.44 1.27 NC : 232,170 246,820 4,802 4,766 1.71 1.63 PA : 30,807 32,494 1,380 1,378 3.52 3.31 SC : 65,091 63,353 1,462 1,498 1.82 1.93 TN : 59,799 62,206 886 725 1.19 0.94 TX : 157,425 163,349 2,238 2,359 1.20 1.23 VA : 100,997 92,746 1,568 1,236 1.22 1.04 WA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : 2,395,314 2,434,091 50,589 45,811 1.71 1.54 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Tuber- : : : Airsac- : : State : culosis : Leukosis : Septicemia : culitis : Synovitis : Tumors ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : AL : --- 1,952 198,133 376,140 3,214 11,408 AR : --- 4,184 294,238 142,181 7,576 5,853 CA : --- 7,183 102,121 7,962 765 3,308 DE : --- --- 106,792 42,393 109 --- FL : --- --- --- --- --- --- GA : --- 1,500 156,103 331,673 861 9,914 LA : --- --- 22,740 20,796 160 --- MD : --- 6,028 92,819 39,256 38 6,586 MS : --- 1,006 113,633 70,292 1,270 2,147 MO : --- 3,664 87,342 38,243 2,378 1,513 NC : --- 3,638 167,372 96,627 740 --- PA : --- --- 45,947 60,889 428 --- SC : --- --- 32,027 80,552 113 --- TN : --- --- 45,601 14,949 447 --- TX : --- --- 148,239 40,877 595 2,026 VA : --- 1,141 67,719 36,052 45 --- WA : --- --- --- --- --- 476 : US : --- 49,280 1,897,415 1,473,489 27,193 139,287 :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Contam- : : : : Bruises : Cadaver : ination : Overscald : Other : Total :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : AL : 9,275 51,128 46,996 10,517 167,039 875,802 AR : 10,008 38,873 47,537 3,593 106,890 660,933 CA : 411 5,095 2,150 --- --- 128,995 DE : 2,674 10,033 10,816 5,105 38,065 215,987 FL : 1,824 --- 5,709 1,621 --- 9,154 GA : 12,362 57,023 65,047 11,417 327,608 973,508 LA : --- 7,122 5,928 172 --- 56,918 MD : 1,790 10,173 --- --- 24,586 181,276 MS : 4,544 25,269 26,672 2,035 107,018 353,886 MO : 1,922 15,940 13,062 1,778 33,284 199,126 NC : 7,014 35,598 35,257 3,382 119,781 469,409 PA : 1,896 3,848 --- 166 44,219 157,393 SC : 5,397 10,583 --- 2,560 44,279 175,511 TN : 2,482 13,273 16,193 2,330 22,090 117,365 TX : 1,884 15,140 15,332 938 12,536 237,567 VA : 2,251 17,943 9,699 2,003 26,831 163,684 WA : --- 978 --- --- --- 1,454 : US : 72,550 355,756 422,189 54,668 1,256,611 5,748,438 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mature Chickens Slaughtered: Number, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight, Selected States and United States, December 1998-1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : 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 : 15,102 14,656 75,764 75,328 5.02 5.14 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Average weight based on unrounded data. Mature Chickens Slaughtered: Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, Selected States and United States, December 1998-1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : 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 : 46,010 46,114 4,563 4,713 6.69 6.95 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Tuber- : : : Airsac- : : State : culosis : Leukosis : Septicemia : culitis : Synovitis : Tumors ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : CA : --- --- --- --- --- --- GA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : --- 5,953 313,275 16,764 2,112 144,821 :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Contam- : : : : Bruises : Cadaver : ination : Overscald : Other : Total :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : CA : 48 --- --- --- --- 48 GA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : 38,761 51,593 221,030 3,158 75,761 873,228 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Young Turkeys (Mature) Slaughtered: Number, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight, Selected States and United States, December 1998-1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Average : Number : Live Weight : Live Weight State : Inspected : Inspected : Inspected 1/ :-----------------------:---------------------------:------------------- : 1998 : 1999 : 1998 : 1999 : 1998 : 1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ 1,000 ------ ---- 1,000 Pounds ---- --- Pounds --- : AR : 1,880 1,993 32,331 35,722 17.20 17.93 CA : 1,681 1,715 40,396 41,852 24.02 24.40 IA : 1,060 1,151 31,245 35,106 29.48 30.50 MN : 3,679 3,269 83,679 82,361 22.74 25.19 MO : 1,766 1,946 49,497 52,178 28.04 26.81 NC : 2,749 2,510 67,241 62,903 24.46 25.06 PA : 971 983 22,112 22,154 22.77 22.53 VA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : 21,886 21,121 543,173 543,000 24.82 25.71 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Average weight based on unrounded data. Young Turkeys (Mature) Slaughtered: Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, Selected States and United States, December 1998-1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Post-Mortem Condemnations : Total :----------------------------------------- State : Certified 1/ : N.Y. Dressed Weight : Percent 2/ :-----------------------------:----------------------------------------- : 1998 : 1999 : 1998 : 1999 : 1998 : 1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------------ 1,000 Pounds ------------------ -- Percent -- : AR : 25,650 29,051 537 654 1.84 2.03 CA : 32,384 33,092 556 609 1.53 1.62 IA : 23,934 27,260 658 924 2.34 2.92 MN : 66,694 64,019 2,199 2,459 2.92 3.32 MO : 39,774 41,175 991 893 2.23 1.90 NC : 53,137 48,201 1,065 1,220 1.76 2.16 PA : 17,061 16,787 376 386 1.89 1.94 VA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : 428,154 425,612 10,148 10,806 2.08 2.21 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Tuber- : : : Airsac- : : State : culosis : Leukosis : Septicemia : culitis : Synovitis : Tumors ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : AR : --- --- 5,517 681 --- --- CA : --- --- 9,625 125 --- --- IA : --- --- 6,358 1,958 --- --- MN : --- --- 20,989 9,974 --- --- MO : --- --- 14,562 2,085 77 --- NC : --- --- --- --- --- 14 PA : --- --- --- --- --- --- VA : --- --- --- 271 --- --- : US : --- 513 96,663 21,045 5,738 134 :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Contam- : : : : Bruises : Cadaver : ination : Overscald : Other : Total :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : AR : --- 282 596 --- 1,577 8,653 CA : 42 --- --- --- --- 9,792 IA : 71 --- --- --- 178 8,565 MN : --- 936 942 48 1,625 34,514 MO : --- 302 641 --- 1,353 19,020 NC : 145 --- --- --- 653 812 PA : --- --- --- --- 1,012 1,012 VA : --- --- --- --- --- 271 : US : 1,210 8,686 10,416 2,919 12,104 159,428 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Old Turkeys (Breeders) Slaughtered: Number Condemned Post-Mortem by Cause, United States, December 1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Tuber- : : : Airsac- : : State : culosis : Leukosis : Septicemia : culitis : Synovitis : Tumors ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : US : --- 9 4,618 960 --- 128 :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Contam- : : : : Bruises : Cadaver : ination : Overscald : Other : Total :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : US : 11 312 334 --- 825 7,197 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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., December 1998-1999................................................ 11 Mature Chickens Post-Mortem Condemnations by Cause, Selected States and U.S., December 1998-1999............................ 11 Mature Chickens Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, U.S., December 1998-1999................................................ 11 Old Turkeys (Breeders) Post-Mortem Condemnations by Cause, U.S., December 1998-1999................................................ 15 Poultry Chilled and Frozen Pounds Certified (RTC) by Type, U.S., December 1998..................................................... 4 Poultry Slaughter Ante-Mortem and Post-Mortem Condemnations by Type, U.S., December 1998............................................ 6 Poultry Slaughter Number Inspected, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight by Type, U.S., December 1998................................ 2 Reliability Statement.................................................... 16 Young Chickens Number Inspected, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight, Selected States and U.S., December 1998-1999............................ 8 Young Chickens Post-Mortem Condemnations by Cause, Selected States and U.S., December 1998-1999............................ 10 Young Chickens Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, Selected States and U.S., December 1998-1999............................ 9 Young Turkeys (Mature) Number Inspected, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight, Selected States and U.S., December 1998-1999............... 13 Young Turkeys (Mature) Post-Mortem Condemnations by Cause, Selected States and U.S., December 1998-1999............................ 14 Young Turkeys (Mature) Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, Selected States and U.S., December 1998-1999............................ 13 The next "Poultry Slaughter" report will be released at 3 p.m. ET on March 3, 2000. 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Network with hundreds of experts from agriculture, business and government at this popular event. For program and registration details, access the Forum web site, send an e-mail to agforum@oce.usda.gov, or call 202-720-3050. Register today; rates go up after February 1. www.usda.gov/oce February 24-25, 2000 Arlington, Virginia Commodity Outlook, 2000 and Beyond Coming to Terms with Biotechnology Future of Farming and Rural America Farming under Contract Impact of Agribusiness Mergers New Markets: E-Commerce, Organic Foods, Biomass WTO Talks, Animal & Plant Health Trade Rules