WASHINGTON – February ready-to-cook weight of poultry advanced 8 percent from the amount certified a year ago, the National Agricultural Statistics Service of the US Dept. of Agriculture said in its Poultry Slaughter report. Pounds certified totaled 3.76 billion lbs.

Meanwhile, the January certified revised total was 3.79 billion lbs., a 2 percent decline from January 2015. NASS said the January revision represented an increase of 4.17 million lbs. from last month’s preliminary lbs. certified.

Young chickens inspected advanced 8 percent to 4.97 billion lbs. compared to 4.60 billion lbs. a year ago, NASS reported. Mature chickens inspected totaled 67.9 million lbs. a 5 percent increase from February 2015. The average live weight of young chickens slaughtered averaged 6.17 lbs. per bird, while the average live weight of mature chickens climbed 5 percent to 5.93 lbs. per bird.

Turkey inspections advanced 4 percent to total 566 million lbs., NASS said, while turkeys slaughtered during February averaged 31.0 lbs. per bird, a decline of 1 percent compared to a year ago.

Ducks totaled 15.2 million lbs., up 5 percent from a year ago.

Ante-mortem condemnations totaled 12.8 million lbs. for the month. Condemnations were 0.26 percent of the live weight inspected, compared with 0.27 percent a year ago. Post-mortem condemnations were 1.07 percent of quantities inspected at 40.8 million lbs. compared with 1.11 percent a year ago.

There were 20 weekdays, including one holiday and four Saturdays in February 2015. February 2016 had 21 weekdays, including one holiday, and four Saturdays.