Small Gain in U.S. Egg Output

WASHINGTON - Jan 23/06 - SNS -- Total egg production rose 1% from last in the United States in December, reaching 7.79 billion, according to the USDA.

Production included 6.70 billion table eggs, and 1.09 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.03 billion were broiler-type and 64 million were egg-type. The number of layers during December 2005 averaged 348 million, up 1% from a year earlier. December egg production per 100 layers was 2,237 eggs, up slightly from December 2004.

All layers in the U.S. on January 1, 2006, totaled 349 million, up slightly from a year ago. The 349 million layers consisted of 291 million layers producing table-type eggs, 55.6 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 2.74 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on January 1, 2006, averaged 71.8 eggs per 100 layers, up 1% from January 1, 2005.

Egg-type chicks hatched during December 2005 totaled 36.2 million, down 3% from December 2004. Eggs in incubators totaled 35.5 million on January 1, 2006 up 3% from a year ago.

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