Poultry certified wholesome during March 2007 (ready-to-cook weight) totaled 3.44 billion pounds, down 7 percent from the amount certified in March 2006. February 2007 revised certified total at 3.15 billion pounds, was down 2 percent from February 2006. The February revision represented an increase of 765 thousand pounds from last month’s preliminary pounds certified.

The preliminary total live weight of poultry inspected during March 2007 was 4.65 billion pounds, down 6 percent from 4.94 billion pounds a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 3.96 billion pounds, down 6 percent from March 2006. Mature chickens, at 63.4 million pounds, were down 11 percent from the previous year. Turkey inspections totaled 610 million pounds, down 2 percent from a year ago. Ducks totaled 15.9 million pounds, down 7 percent from last year.

Young chickens slaughtered during March 2007 averaged 5.45 pounds per bird, up slightly from March 2006. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.81 pounds per bird, down 5 percent from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during March 2007 averaged 28.7 pounds per bird, up slightly from March 2006.

Ante-mortem condemnations during March 2007 totaled 15.2 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.33 percent of the live weight inspected, unchanged from last year. Post-mortem condemnations, at 48.0 million pounds, were 1.38 percent of quantities inspected, compared with 1.40 percent a year earlier.

March 2007 contained 22 weekdays and 5 Saturdays, while March 2006 had 23 weekdays and 4 Saturdays.

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