Poultry certified wholesome during January 2007 (ready-to-cook weight totaled 3.55 billion pounds, down slightly from the amount certified in January 2006. December 2006 revised certified total at 3.20 billion pounds, was down 6 percent from December 2005. The December revision represented an increase of 20.4 million pounds from last month’s preliminary pounds certified.

The preliminary total live weight of poultry inspected during January 2007 was 4.81 billion pounds, up 1 percent from 4.75 billion pounds a year ago. Young chickens inspected totaled 4.12 billion pounds, up slightly from January 2006. Mature chickens, at 63.3 million pounds, were down 10 percent from the previous year. Turkey inspections totaled 615 million pounds, up 9 percent from a year ago. Ducks totaled 16.7 million pounds, up 5 percent from last year.

Young chickens slaughtered during January 2007 averaged 5.50 pounds per bird, unchanged from January 2006. The average live weight of mature chickens was 5.90 pounds per bird, up 6 percent from a year ago. Turkeys slaughtered during January 2007 averaged 29.6 pounds per bird, down 2 percent from January 2006.

Ante-mortem condemnations during January 2007 totaled 17.2 million pounds. Condemnations were 0.36 percent of the live weight inspected, as compared with 0.33 percent a year earlier. Post-mortem condemnations, at 47.8 million pounds, were 1.33 percent of quantities inspected, compared with 1.37 percent a year earlier.

January 2007 contained 23 weekdays (including two holidays) and 4 Saturdays, while January 2006 had 22 weekdays (including two holidays) and 4 Saturdays.

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