Pou 2-1 (2-01) Poultry Slaughter National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released February 7, 2001, 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 Down 5 Percent Poultry certified wholesome during December (ready-to-cook weight), totaled 2.80 billion pounds, down 5 percent from the amount certified in December 1999. Updated totals for November 2000 show that 3.09 billion pounds were certified. The preliminary total live weight of poultry inspected during December 2000 was 3.77 billion pounds, down 6 percent from a year ago. Inspections included 3.18 billion pounds of young chickens, 5 percent below last year; 57.4 million pounds of mature chickens, down 24 percent; 512 million pounds of turkeys, down 6 percent; and 14.9 million pounds of ducks, up 1 percent from December 1999. Young chickens slaughtered during December 2000 averaged 5.06 pounds per bird, up slightly from December 1999. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.15 pounds per bird, nearly the same as a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during December 2000 averaged 26.0 pounds per bird, up 1 percent from December 1999. Ante-mortem condemnations during December 2000 totaled 21.5 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.57 percent of the live weight inspected, compared with 0.39 percent a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 55.2 million pounds (N.Y. dressed weight), were 1.63 percent of quantities inspected, compared with 1.74 percent a year earlier. December 2000 contained 21 weekdays (including one holiday) and five Saturdays. December 1999 contained 23 weekdays (including one holiday) and four Saturdays. Poultry Slaughter: Number, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight by Type, United States, December 2000 with Comparisons 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : Chickens : : Other :---------------------------------------: Ducks : Poultry : Young : Mature 2/ : Total : : :---------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head Number Inspected : : Nov 2000 : 662,206 12,757 674,963 2,192 ----- Dec 1999 : 664,778 14,675 679,453 2,196 ----- Dec 2000 : 629,032 11,152 640,184 2,245 ----- : Jan-Dec 1999 : 8,111,654 175,560 8,287,215 23,327 ----- Jan-Dec 2000 : 8,259,181 165,027 8,424,208 24,494 ----- : : 1,000 Pounds Live Weight : : Nov 2000 : 3,357,617 68,754 3,426,370 14,371 1,103 Dec 1999 : 3,349,720 75,487 3,425,206 14,671 891 Dec 2000 : 3,181,425 57,394 3,238,819 14,870 788 : Jan-Dec 1999 : 40,444,167 913,707 41,357,874 154,035 14,066 Jan-Dec 2000 : 41,284,082 876,685 42,160,767 161,749 14,231 : : Pounds Average Live Weight : : Nov 2000 : 5.07 5.39 5.08 6.56 ----- Dec 1999 : 5.04 5.14 5.04 6.68 ----- Dec 2000 : 5.06 5.15 5.06 6.62 ----- : Jan-Dec 1999 : 4.99 5.20 4.99 6.60 ----- Jan-Dec 2000 : 5.00 5.31 5.00 6.60 ----- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- See footnotes at end of table. -- continued Poultry Slaughter: Number, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight by Type, United States, December 2000 with Comparisons 1/ (continued) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Turkeys : :--------------------------------------------: Total : Fryer- : : : Total : Poultry : Roasters : Young 3/ : Old : Turkeys : :---------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head Number Inspected : : Nov 2000 : --- 24,354 205 24,558 ----- Dec 1999 : --- 21,049 226 21,274 ----- Dec 2000 : --- 19,402 306 19,708 ----- : Jan-Dec 1999 : 56 263,242 1,951 265,250 ----- Jan-Dec 2000 : 81 265,599 2,347 268,026 ----- : : 1,000 Pounds Live Weight : : Nov 2000 : --- 606,638 5,405 612,043 4,053,888 Dec 1999 : --- 541,630 6,156 547,786 3,988,553 Dec 2000 : --- 504,168 8,241 512,409 3,766,887 : Jan-Dec 1999 : 506 6,682,518 51,815 6,734,840 48,260,815 Jan-Dec 2000 : 657 6,797,585 61,711 6,859,953 49,196,700 : : Pounds Average Live Weight : : Nov 2000 : --- 24.91 26.42 24.92 ----- Dec 1999 : --- 25.73 27.27 25.75 ----- Dec 2000 : --- 25.99 26.95 26.00 ----- : Jan-Dec 1999 : 9.00 25.39 26.55 25.39 ----- Jan-Dec 2000 : 8.13 25.59 26.30 25.59 ----- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 1999: 5,966, December 2000: 4,419. 3/ Of the Young Turkeys inspected, the number reported in thousands as young breeders was: December 1999: 70, December 2000: 55. Poultry Slaughter: Chilled and Frozen, Pounds Certified by Type, United States, December 2000 with Comparisons 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : Chickens : : Other :---------------------------------------------: Ducks : Poultry : Young : Mature : Total : : :---------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Pounds Nov 2000 : Chilled : 2,341,657 40,193 2,381,850 4,072 249 Frozen : 211,921 1,500 213,421 6,213 434 : Total : 2,553,578 41,693 2,595,271 10,285 683 : Dec 1999 : Chilled : 2,255,477 43,941 2,299,418 4,275 296 Frozen : 210,517 2,283 212,801 5,983 246 : Total : 2,465,994 46,225 2,512,219 10,258 542 : Dec 2000 : Chilled : 2,162,103 33,282 2,195,385 4,455 212 Frozen : 187,239 1,528 188,767 6,093 290 : Total : 2,349,342 34,810 2,384,152 10,548 502 : : Jan-Dec 1999 : Chilled : 27,154,732 513,805 27,668,538 42,599 4,052 Frozen : 2,586,648 38,536 2,625,184 65,549 4,130 : Total : 29,741,380 552,342 30,293,722 108,147 8,183 : Jan-Dec 2000 : Chilled : 27,884,313 494,964 28,379,278 45,348 3,508 Frozen : 2,602,240 34,377 2,636,617 70,629 5,201 : Total : 30,486,554 529,342 31,015,895 115,977 8,709 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- See footnotes at end of table. -- continued Poultry Slaughter: Chilled and Frozen, Pounds Certified by Type, United States, December 2000 with Comparisons 1/ (continued) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Turkeys : :------------------------------------------------: Total : Fryer- : : : Total : Poultry : Roasters : Young : Old : Turkeys : :---------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Pounds Nov 2000 : Chilled : --- 254,523 2,767 257,290 2,643,461 Frozen : --- 223,721 1,319 225,040 445,108 : Total : --- 478,244 4,086 482,330 3,088,569 : Dec 1999 : Chilled : --- 215,887 3,044 218,931 2,522,920 Frozen : --- 209,483 1,587 211,069 430,099 : Total : --- 425,370 4,631 430,000 2,953,018 : Dec 2000 : Chilled : --- 200,357 4,788 205,145 2,405,197 Frozen : --- 195,116 2,127 197,243 392,393 : Total : --- 395,473 6,915 402,388 2,797,589 : : Jan-Dec 1999 : Chilled : 46 2,440,786 24,616 2,465,448 30,180,636 Frozen : 313 2,816,656 14,099 2,831,069 5,525,932 : Total : 359 5,257,442 38,715 5,296,516 35,706,568 : Jan-Dec 2000 : Chilled : 219 2,594,141 31,656 2,626,016 31,054,150 Frozen : 276 2,759,303 15,604 2,775,183 5,487,630 : Total : 495 5,353,444 47,260 5,401,199 36,541,780 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 2000 with Comparisons 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : Chickens : : Other :------------------------------------: Ducks : Poultry : Young : Mature : Total : : :------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Pounds Ante-Mortem : (Live Weight) : : Nov 2000 : 12,792 838 13,630 28 6 Dec 1999 : 13,121 883 14,004 18 1 Dec 2000 : 18,504 1,189 19,693 24 5 : Jan-Dec 1999 : 170,911 15,792 186,703 242 78 Jan-Dec 2000 : 171,245 15,237 186,482 279 59 : Percent 2/ : : Dec 1999 : 0.39 1.17 0.41 0.12 0.12 Dec 2000 : 0.58 2.07 0.61 0.16 0.58 : : 1,000 Pounds Post-Mortem : (N.Y. Dressed Weight) : : Nov 2000 : 43,310 3,684 46,994 422 9 Dec 1999 : 46,312 4,721 51,033 337 7 Dec 2000 : 40,962 2,881 43,842 416 7 : Jan-Dec 1999 : 589,959 56,054 646,013 3,457 154 Jan-Dec 2000 : 540,687 52,346 593,033 3,866 142 : Percent 3/ : : Dec 1999 : 1.54 6.95 1.66 2.56 0.93 Dec 2000 : 1.43 5.58 1.50 3.11 1.04 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- See footnotes at end of table. -- continued Poultry Slaughter: Ante-Mortem and Post-Mortem Condemnations by Type, United States, December 2000 with Comparisons 1/ (continued) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Turkeys : :--------------------------------------------: Total : Fryer- : : : Total : Poultry : Roasters : Young : Old : Turkeys : :------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Pounds Ante-Mortem : (Live Weight) : : Nov 2000 : --- 1,514 20 1,534 15,198 Dec 1999 : --- 1,287 75 1,362 15,385 Dec 2000 : --- 1,697 34 1,731 21,453 : Jan-Dec 1999 : 1 17,701 512 18,213 205,236 Jan-Dec 2000 : 17 19,321 503 19,841 206,661 : Percent 2/ : : Dec 1999 : --- 0.24 1.22 0.25 0.39 Dec 2000 : --- 0.34 0.42 0.34 0.57 : : 1,000 Pounds Post-Mortem : (N.Y. Dressed Weight) : : Nov 2000 : --- 11,421 295 11,716 59,140 Dec 1999 : --- 10,823 366 11,189 62,567 Dec 2000 : --- 10,558 422 10,981 55,247 : Jan-Dec 1999 : 5 131,965 3,459 135,428 785,052 Jan-Dec 2000 : 9 137,597 3,681 141,287 738,327 : Percent 3/ : : Dec 1999 : --- 2.22 6.60 2.27 1.74 Dec 2000 : --- 2.33 5.70 2.38 1.63 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 1999-2000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Average : Number : Live Weight : Live Weight State : Inspected : Inspected : Inspected 1/ :-----------------------:---------------------------:------------------- : 1999 : 2000 : 1999 : 2000 : 1999 : 2000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ 1,000 ------ ---- 1,000 Pounds ---- --- Pounds --- : AL : 76,919 74,040 391,025 372,648 5.08 5.03 AR : 93,745 87,908 452,409 434,847 4.83 4.95 DE : 21,026 19,815 126,041 114,504 5.99 5.78 FL : 10,252 9,680 56,609 53,827 5.52 5.56 GA : 92,261 88,407 462,631 438,307 5.01 4.96 LA : 15,157 13,176 68,088 63,612 4.49 4.83 MD : 16,972 15,093 81,763 71,393 4.82 4.73 MS : 57,706 52,814 291,478 266,575 5.05 5.05 MO : 29,298 27,056 132,777 127,113 4.53 4.70 NC : 55,862 55,028 325,402 319,058 5.83 5.80 PA : 8,887 7,881 46,291 42,010 5.21 5.33 SC : 18,960 16,822 95,575 89,893 5.04 5.34 TN : 17,848 17,641 85,577 83,316 4.79 4.72 TX : 46,384 46,208 221,861 225,199 4.78 4.87 VA : 27,831 27,256 137,582 130,014 4.94 4.77 WA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : 664,778 629,032 3,349,720 3,181,425 5.04 5.06 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Average weight based on unrounded data. Young Chickens Slaughtered: Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, Selected States and United States, December 1999-2000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Post-Mortem Condemnations : Total :----------------------------------------- State : Certified 1/ : N.Y. Dressed Weight : Percent 2/ :-----------------------------:----------------------------------------- : 1999 : 2000 : 1999 : 2000 : 1999 : 2000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------------ 1,000 Pounds ------------------ -- Percent -- : AL : 284,802 271,814 7,139 5,126 2.03 1.53 AR : 329,850 315,162 5,580 5,905 1.37 1.51 DE : 91,946 83,285 1,983 2,090 1.75 2.03 FL : 41,481 38,322 1,026 867 2.01 1.79 GA : 334,406 322,379 7,234 4,831 1.74 1.22 LA : 47,606 45,097 784 612 1.28 1.07 MD : 56,931 51,246 1,262 966 1.71 1.50 MS : 228,286 207,081 2,809 2,371 1.07 0.99 MO : 96,519 93,319 1,518 1,472 1.27 1.29 NC : 247,758 241,551 4,776 4,615 1.63 1.61 PA : 32,522 29,346 1,378 1,137 3.31 3.01 SC : 69,531 63,388 1,708 1,610 1.99 1.99 TN : 62,206 62,284 725 689 0.94 0.92 TX : 170,684 175,705 2,498 3,756 1.25 1.85 VA : 96,567 94,431 1,270 1,178 1.03 1.01 WA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : 2,465,994 2,349,342 46,312 40,962 1.54 1.43 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 2000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Tuber- : : : Airsac- : : State : culosis : Leukosis : Septicemia : culitis : Synovitis : Tumors ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : AL : --- 1,387 169,391 124,432 1,438 10,925 AR : --- 3,145 276,520 129,413 4,932 7,934 DE : --- 5,756 113,140 48,067 --- --- FL : --- --- --- --- --- --- GA : --- 1,090 119,791 148,105 946 14,756 LA : --- --- 20,103 --- 90 672 MD : --- 7,274 60,485 31,331 --- --- MS : --- 1,167 78,379 31,854 419 1,918 MO : --- --- 90,245 38,203 1,978 --- NC : --- 2,191 145,920 128,163 196 38,265 PA : --- 1,704 42,091 31,880 303 --- SC : --- --- --- --- --- --- TN : --- --- 49,100 20,748 318 1,078 TX : --- 1,151 179,631 59,141 639 3,452 VA : --- 942 --- 31,261 56 --- WA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : --- 40,857 1,796,774 961,157 16,340 138,582 :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Contam- : : : : Bruises : Cadaver : ination : Overscald : Other : Total :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : AL : 7,639 45,761 40,415 7,614 108,489 517,491 AR : 8,243 50,290 41,386 2,729 87,786 612,378 DE : 3,381 12,560 12,975 1,657 33,800 231,336 FL : 1,552 4,113 3,786 --- --- 9,451 GA : 8,546 39,158 31,616 9,508 149,793 523,309 LA : 800 2,877 3,779 --- 4,401 32,722 MD : --- 11,230 --- --- 20,016 130,336 MS : 2,894 14,174 11,572 660 75,173 218,210 MO : 2,440 25,542 14,966 1,529 28,752 203,655 NC : 6,840 45,503 32,806 5,144 94,283 499,311 PA : 1,365 7,450 6,281 --- 41,210 132,284 SC : 1,880 --- 8,645 --- 18,056 28,581 TN : 2,920 12,344 8,687 1,217 18,023 114,435 TX : 1,738 15,842 13,238 --- 13,125 287,957 VA : 1,642 8,666 --- 803 17,678 61,048 WA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : 57,357 337,948 307,784 44,192 808,189 4,509,180 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mature Chickens Slaughtered: Number, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight, Selected States and United States, December 1999-2000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Average : Number : Live Weight : Live Weight State : Inspected : Inspected : Inspected 1/ :-----------------------:---------------------------:------------------- : 1999 : 2000 : 1999 : 2000 : 1999 : 2000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ 1,000 ------ ---- 1,000 Pounds ---- --- Pounds --- : CA : --- --- --- --- --- --- GA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : 14,675 11,152 75,487 57,394 5.14 5.15 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Average weight based on unrounded data. Mature Chickens Slaughtered: Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, Selected States and United States, December 1999-2000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Post-Mortem Condemnations : Total :----------------------------------------- State : Certified 1/ : N.Y. Dressed Weight : Percent 2/ :-----------------------------:----------------------------------------- : 1999 : 2000 : 1999 : 2000 : 1999 : 2000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------------ 1,000 Pounds ------------------ -- Percent -- : CA : --- --- --- --- --- --- GA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : 46,225 34,810 4,721 2,881 6.95 5.58 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 2000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Tuber- : : : Airsac- : : State : culosis : Leukosis : Septicemia : culitis : Synovitis : Tumors ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : CA : --- --- --- --- --- --- GA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : --- 2,833 245,033 8,753 1,758 99,045 :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Contam- : : : : Bruises : Cadaver : ination : Overscald : Other : Total :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : CA : --- --- --- --- --- --- GA : --- --- --- --- --- --- : US : 26,300 27,987 162,149 2,483 54,331 630,672 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Young Turkeys (Mature) Slaughtered: Number, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight, Selected States and United States, December 1999-2000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Average : Number : Live Weight : Live Weight State : Inspected : Inspected : Inspected 1/ :-----------------------:---------------------------:------------------- : 1999 : 2000 : 1999 : 2000 : 1999 : 2000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ 1,000 ------ ---- 1,000 Pounds ---- --- Pounds --- : AR : 1,993 1,802 35,745 31,292 17.94 17.37 CA : 1,715 1,199 41,852 27,951 24.40 23.31 IA : 1,151 1,241 35,106 37,534 30.50 30.26 MN : 3,269 2,946 82,361 73,911 25.19 25.09 MO : 1,946 1,713 52,178 44,732 26.81 26.11 NC : 2,437 2,617 61,511 68,533 25.25 26.19 PA : --- --- --- --- --- --- VA : 3,041 2,811 65,274 60,384 21.47 21.48 : US : 21,049 19,402 541,630 504,168 25.73 25.99 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Average weight based on unrounded data. Young Turkeys (Mature) Slaughtered: Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, Selected States and United States, December 1999-2000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Post-Mortem Condemnations : Total :----------------------------------------- State : Certified 1/ : N.Y. Dressed Weight : Percent 2/ :-----------------------------:----------------------------------------- : 1999 : 2000 : 1999 : 2000 : 1999 : 2000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------------ 1,000 Pounds ------------------ -- Percent -- : AR : 29,069 27,265 656 562 2.04 2.00 CA : 33,092 23,367 609 461 1.62 1.83 IA : 27,260 29,461 924 933 2.92 2.76 MN : 64,019 56,378 2,459 2,157 3.32 3.24 MO : 41,175 34,036 893 1,024 1.90 2.54 NC : 47,941 53,909 1,235 1,433 2.23 2.32 PA : --- --- --- --- --- --- VA : 51,145 46,097 918 711 1.56 1.31 : US : 425,370 395,473 10,823 10,558 2.22 2.33 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 2000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Tuber- : : : Airsac- : : State : culosis : Leukosis : Septicemia : culitis : Synovitis : Tumors ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : AR : --- --- 6,272 --- --- --- CA : --- --- --- 46 --- --- IA : --- --- --- 1,657 --- 9 MN : --- --- 18,143 3,225 --- --- MO : --- --- 15,773 --- --- --- NC : --- --- --- --- --- 5 PA : --- --- --- 704 35 --- VA : --- --- 5,461 223 --- --- : US : --- 588 90,779 13,074 3,956 152 :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Contam- : : : : Bruises : Cadaver : ination : Overscald : Other : Total :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : AR : --- 468 --- --- --- 6,740 CA : --- --- 104 --- --- 150 IA : 59 --- --- --- --- 1,725 MN : 169 1,290 1,279 --- 1,455 25,561 MO : 59 --- 671 --- --- 16,503 NC : 156 2,077 4,098 --- 1,303 7,639 PA : --- --- --- --- --- 739 VA : --- --- 260 --- --- 5,944 : US : 946 34,947 10,475 3,291 10,802 169,010 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Old Turkeys (Breeders) Slaughtered: Number Condemned Post-Mortem by Cause, United States, December 2000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Tuber- : : : Airsac- : : State : culosis : Leukosis : Septicemia : culitis : Synovitis : Tumors ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : US : --- 14 5,763 1,095 34 146 :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Contam- : : : : Bruises : Cadaver : ination : Overscald : Other : Total :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : US : 32 258 314 43 1,279 8,978 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. 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 Slaughtered: Number Condemned Post-Mortem by Cause, Selected States and United States, December 2000........................ 12 Mature Chickens Slaughtered: Number, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight, Selected States and United States, December 1999-2000................... 11 Mature Chickens Slaughtered: Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, Selected States and United States, December 1999-2000.... 11 Old Turkeys (Breeders) Slaughtered: Number Condemned Post-Mortem by Cause, United States, December 2000........................................... 15 Poultry Slaughter: Ante-Mortem and Post-Mortem Condemnations by Type, United States, December 2000 with comparisons........................... 6 Poultry Slaughter: Chilled and Frozen, Pounds Certified by Type, United States, December 2000 with comparisons........................... 4 Poultry Slaughter: Number, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight by Type, United States, December 2000 with comparisons........................... 2 Reliability Statement.................................................... 16 Young Chickens Slaughtered: Number Condemned Post-Mortem by Cause, Selected States and United States, December 2000........................ 10 Young Chickens Slaughtered: Number, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight, Selected States and United States, December 1999-2000................... 8 Young Chickens Slaughtered: Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, Selected States and United States, December 1999-2000................... 9 Young Turkeys (Mature) Slaughtered: Number Condemned Post-Mortem by Cause, Selected States and United States, December 2000........................ 14 Young Turkeys (Mature) Slaughtered: Number, Live Weight, and Average Live Weight, Selected States and United States, December 1999-2000...... 13 Young Turkeys (Mature) Slaughtered: Pounds Certified and Post-Mortem Condemnations, Selected States and United States, December 1999-2000... 13 The next "Poultry Slaughter" report will be released at 3:00 p.m. ET on March 2, 2001. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC, 20250-9410, or call (202) 720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. ACCESS TO REPORTS!! For your convenience, there are several ways to obtain NASS reports, data products, and services: INTERNET ACCESS All NASS reports are available free of charge on the worldwide Internet. For access, connect to the Internet and go to the NASS Home Page at: http://www.usda.gov/nass/. Select "Today's Reports" or Publications and then Reports by Calendar or Publications and then Search, by Title or Subject. E-MAIL SUBSCRIPTION All NASS reports are available by subscription free of charge direct to your e-mail address. Send an e-mail message to: usda-reports@usda.mannlib.cornell.edu. In the body of the message type the word: list. AUTOFAX ACCESS NASSFax service is available for some reports from your fax machine. Please call 202-720-2000, using the handset attached to your fax. Respond to the voice prompts. Document 0411 is a list of available reports. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - PRINTED REPORTS OR DATA PRODUCTS CALL OUR TOLL-FREE ORDER DESK: 800-999-6779 (U.S. and Canada) Other areas, please call 703-834-0125 FAX: 703-834-0110 (Visa, MasterCard, check, or money order acceptable for payment.) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ASSISTANCE For assistance with general agricultural statistics or further information about NASS or its products or services, contact the Agricultural Statistics Hotline at 800-727-9540, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET, or e-mail: nass@nass.usda.gov.