Chicks Placed Boosts U.S. Broiler Hatchery

WASHINGTON - Mar 12/08 - SNS -- Broiler hatchery activity in the United States pulled ahead of year earlier levels across the week closing March 8, 2008 despite a week over week decline in the number of eggs set, shows today's USDA report.

Commercial hatcheries in the 19-State weekly program set 218.0 million eggs in incubators during the week. This was up 1.4% from the eggs set the same week last year.

Average hatchability for chicks hatched during the week was 83%. Average hatchability is calculated by dividing chicks hatched during the week by eggs set three weeks earlier. Broiler Chicks Placed Up 3 Percent Broiler growers in the 19-State weekly program placed 179 million chicks for meat production during the week ending March 8, 2008. Placements were up 3% from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from December 30, 2007 through March 8, 2008 were 1.78 billion, up 3% from the same period a year earlier. ******** Subscription Information To subscribe to NASS reports or to order single copies, call toll free, 1- 800-999-6779. You may write: ERS/NASS, 5285 Port Royal Rd., Springfield, VA 22161. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Feb 2 : Feb 9 : Feb 16 : Feb 23 : Mar 1 : Mar 8 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 31,432 31,879 31,899 31,920 *31,882 32,195 AR : 28,592 27,784 28,156 28,455 28,418 28,061 DE : 4,095 3,868 3,999 *3,997 *3,982 3,969 FL : 1,379 1,379 *1,389 1,369 1,358 1,368 GA : 35,895 35,460 35,318 35,314 35,129 35,088 KY : 7,802 7,432 *7,371 7,922 8,017 8,019 LA : 3,863 3,984 3,924 3,924 3,924 3,924 MD : 9,025 9,104 9,067 8,975 9,138 8,904 MS : 18,826 18,661 *18,722 18,755 18,774 18,865 NC : 19,668 19,796 *19,970 19,775 20,142 19,995 OK : 6,661 6,305 6,487 6,516 6,451 6,508 PA : 4,261 4,295 *4,395 *3,998 *4,179 4,198 SC : 5,440 5,714 5,693 5,518 5,800 5,585 TX : *15,678 *15,708 *15,806 15,869 15,948 15,977 VA : 6,326 6,341 6,428 6,443 6,443 6,413 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 19,937 19,561 19,825 20,203 20,231 19,544 : 218,880 217,271 218,449 218,953 219,816 218,613 : 211,617 212,295 214,750 214,659 216,547 215,392 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 103 102 102 102 102 101 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised Broiler Chicks Placed, 19 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Feb 2 : Feb 9 : Feb 16 : Feb 23 : Mar 1 : Mar 8 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 21,220 21,019 *20,895 *20,671 *21,620 21,131 AR : 23,399 22,526 23,171 23,908 22,362 24,135 DE : 4,889 4,917 4,397 *4,880 *5,668 4,908 FL : 1,384 1,417 1,382 1,317 1,302 1,459 GA : 27,937 28,747 *29,045 *29,334 *28,745 29,438 KY : 6,069 *5,812 *6,563 *6,439 *6,348 5,718 LA : 3,913 4,033 3,606 3,835 3,747 3,897 MD : 5,978 6,197 7,291 *6,618 *5,271 6,413 MS : 16,803 17,234 17,136 17,290 16,945 17,056 NC : 16,384 16,153 16,257 16,404 16,322 16,694 OK : 4,752 5,171 5,688 5,374 *5,575 5,086 PA : 3,256 3,289 *3,233 *3,344 *3,234 3,362 SC : 4,972 4,789 4,243 4,306 5,336 3,987 TX : 12,513 12,930 12,890 12,827 12,970 13,296 VA : 5,108 5,010 4,880 4,860 5,142 4,818 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 17,483 17,169 16,847 16,841 16,918 17,796 : 176,060 176,413 177,524 178,248 177,505 179,194 : 171,953 170,798 171,611 172,634 173,482 174,818 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 102 103 103 103 102 103 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised END OF REPORT!

Broiler growers placed 179.0 million chicks for meat production. Placements were up 2.9% from the comparable week a year earlier.

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