Mixed U.S. Broiler Hatchery Situation

WASHINGTON - Mar 26/08 - SNS -- Broiler hatchery activity in the United States Broiler managed a mixed performance over the week finishing March 22, 2008, shows the latest USDA data.

Commercial hatcheries in the 19-State weekly program set 216.0 million eggs in incubators during the week. This was up 0.5% 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 181 million chicks for meat production during the week ending March 22, 2008. Placements were up 3% from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from December 30, 2007 through March 22, 2008 were 2.14 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 16 : Feb 23 : Mar 1 : Mar 8 : Mar 15 : Mar 22 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 31,899 32,024 *31,986 32,195 32,497 32,257 AR : 28,156 28,455 *28,444 28,061 28,100 27,080 DE : 3,999 3,997 3,982 3,969 3,960 3,983 FL : 1,389 1,369 *1,403 1,368 1,369 1,414 GA : 35,318 35,314 35,129 35,088 35,245 34,444 KY : 7,371 *7,926 8,017 7,988 7,744 7,812 LA : 3,924 3,924 3,924 3,924 3,924 3,893 MD : 9,067 8,975 9,138 8,904 9,097 8,833 MS : 18,722 18,907 18,774 18,865 19,031 18,802 NC : 19,970 19,748 *19,953 19,995 *20,134 20,053 OK : 6,487 6,516 6,451 6,508 6,387 6,497 PA : 4,395 3,998 4,179 *4,130 *4,457 4,205 SC : 5,693 5,518 5,800 5,585 *5,765 5,600 TX : 15,806 15,869 *16,182 15,977 15,695 15,541 VA : 6,428 6,443 6,443 6,413 6,080 6,621 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 19,855 20,283 20,030 20,084 19,598 19,756 : 218,479 219,266 219,835 219,054 219,083 216,791 : 214,750 214,659 216,547 215,392 215,713 215,836 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 102 102 102 102 102 100 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised Broiler Chicks Placed, 19 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Feb 16 : Feb 23 : Mar 1 : Mar 8 : Mar 15 : Mar 22 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 20,895 20,671 21,620 21,221 21,768 21,580 AR : 23,171 23,908 22,362 24,135 26,128 23,625 DE : 4,397 4,880 5,668 4,939 5,058 5,338 FL : 1,382 1,317 1,302 1,459 1,353 1,305 GA : 29,045 29,334 28,745 29,438 29,305 29,686 KY : 6,563 6,439 6,348 5,505 *6,259 6,169 LA : 3,606 3,835 3,747 3,897 3,655 3,883 MD : 7,291 6,618 5,271 6,403 5,836 5,745 MS : 17,136 17,282 16,945 17,056 17,438 17,307 NC : 16,257 16,404 16,322 16,694 *16,147 16,461 OK : 5,688 5,374 5,575 5,086 3,606 4,613 PA : 3,233 3,344 3,234 *3,315 *3,072 3,236 SC : 4,243 4,306 5,336 3,987 4,646 4,438 TX : 12,890 12,827 12,970 13,296 13,420 13,695 VA : 4,880 4,860 5,142 4,818 5,021 5,128 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 16,864 16,841 16,918 17,866 17,372 18,752 : 177,541 178,240 177,505 179,115 180,084 180,961 : 171,611 172,634 173,482 174,818 174,417 175,877 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 103 103 102 102 103 103 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised END OF REPORT!

Broiler growers placed 180.0 million chicks for meat production. Placements were up 2.9% from the comparable week a year earlier.

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