Lower Chicken and Egg Output

WASHINGTON - May 21/02 - STAT -- The USDA said there was general reduction in chicken and egg production during April, compared to last year. U.S. egg production totaled 7.08 billion during the month, down slightly from last year.

Production included 5.99 billion table eggs and 1.09 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.03 billion were broiler-type and 62.0 million were egg-type.

The total number of layers during April 2002 averaged 336 million, slightly lower than the average number of layers during April 2001. April egg production per 100 layers was 2,109 eggs, slightly higher than the 2,106 eggs in April 2001.

All layers in the U.S. on May 1, 2002, totaled 335 million, down 1% from a year ago. The 335 million layers consisted of 274 million layers producing table or commercial type eggs, 58.2 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 2.71 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on May 1, 2002, averaged 69.4 eggs per 100 layers, slightly higher than a year ago.

Laying flocks in the 30 major egg producing States produced 6.64 billion eggs during April 2002, down slightly from a year ago. The average number of layers during April, at 314 million, was down 1% from a year earlier.

Egg-type chicks hatched during April totaled 38.2 million, down 11 % from April 2001. Eggs in incubators totaled 36.0 million on May 1, 2002, down 2% from a year ago.

Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 295,000 during April 2002, down 5% from April 2001.

The April 2002 hatch of broiler-type chicks, at 765 million, was up 1% from April of the previous year. There were 650 million eggs in incubators on May 1, 2002, up 1% from a year earlier.

Leading breeders placed 6.8 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during April 2002, up 7% from April 2001.