Poultry certified wholesome during March 2005 (ready-to-cook weight) totaled 3.53 billion pounds, up 3 percent from the amount certified in March 2004. Updated totals for February 2005 show that 3.08 billion pounds were certified.

The preliminary total live weight of poultry inspected during March 2005 was 4.75 billion pounds, up 2 percent from 4.64 billion pounds a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 4.08 billion pounds, up 3 percent from March 2004, and mature chickens at 73.4 million pounds, were up 8 percent from the previous year. Turkey inspections totaled 581 million pounds, down 3 percent, and ducks totaled 16.2 million pounds, up 9 percent from last year.

Young chickens slaughtered during March 2005 averaged 5.23 pounds per bird, up 1 percent from March 2004. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.47 pounds per bird, down 2 percent from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during March 2005 averaged 28.9 pounds per bird, up 6 percent from March 2004.

Ante-mortem condemnations during March 2005 totaled 20.3 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.43 percent of the live weight inspected, compared to 0.38 percent a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 55.6 million pounds (N.Y. dressed weight), were 1.30 percent of quantities inspected, compared with 1.34 percent a year earlier.

March 2005 contained 23 weekdays and four Saturdays, the same as March 2004.

Young Chickens: Live Weight Slaughtered, By Month, 2002-2005

Young Turkeys: Live Weight Slaughtered, By Month, 2002-2005