Egg Production Rises in July

WASHINGTON - Aug 22/06 - SNS -- Egg production inched up 1% from last year during July, reports the USDA, totalling 7.64 billion.

Production included 6.56 billion table eggs, and 1.09 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.02 billion were broiler-type and 66 million were egg-type. The total number of layers during July 2006 averaged 341 million, up 1% from last year. July egg production per 100 layers was 2,241 eggs, up slightly from July 2005.

All layers in the U.S. on August 1, 2006, totaled 341 million, up 1% from last year. The 341 million layers consisted of 284 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 54.0 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 2.76 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on August 1, 2006, averaged 71.7 eggs per 100 layers, up 1% from August 1, 2005.

Egg-type chicks hatched during July 2006 totaled 33.2 million, down 5% from July 2005. Eggs in incubators totaled 31.4 million on August 1, 2006, down 14% from a year ago.

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