U.S. Broiler Hatchery Down on Year

WASHINGTON - May 21/08 - SNS -- Broiler hatchery activity in the United States Broiler was down from last year for the week ending May 17, 2008, but managed a mixed performance on the week, according to the current USDA statistics.

Commercial hatcheries in the 19-State weekly program set 217.0 million eggs in incubators during the week. This was down 0.9% 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 Down 2 Percent Broiler growers in the 19-State weekly program placed 175 million chicks for meat production during the week ending May 17, 2008. Placements were down 2% from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from December 30, 2007 through May 17, 2008 were 3.56 billion, up 2% 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 :----------------------------------------------------------- : Apr 12 : Apr 19 : Apr 26 : May 3 : May 10 : May 17 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 31,687 31,966 *32,212 31,637 31,858 32,089 AR : 27,171 26,532 27,071 27,317 *26,611 27,150 DE : 4,027 3,942 3,721 3,721 3,718 3,726 FL : 1,413 1,327 *1,331 1,346 1,336 1,331 GA : 34,137 34,651 33,997 34,630 *34,053 34,854 KY : 7,899 7,925 *7,255 8,034 8,124 8,125 LA : 3,712 3,712 3,712 3,712 3,712 3,650 MD : 8,779 8,995 8,223 8,812 8,840 8,791 MS : 18,879 18,877 18,999 18,266 18,893 19,060 NC : 19,617 19,533 *19,475 19,355 *19,631 19,711 OK : 6,580 *6,578 *6,353 6,655 *6,782 6,859 PA : 4,318 4,400 4,193 4,188 *4,323 4,266 SC : 5,611 5,554 5,420 5,371 5,491 5,718 TX : 15,588 15,076 15,346 14,656 14,846 15,477 VA : 6,174 5,791 6,211 6,369 5,939 6,427 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 20,333 19,966 *19,700 *19,641 *19,640 20,205 : 215,925 214,825 213,219 213,710 213,797 217,439 : 219,385 220,515 218,515 218,353 219,938 219,928 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 98 97 98 98 97 99 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised Broiler Chicks Placed, 19 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Apr 12 : Apr 19 : Apr 26 : May 3 : May 10 : May 17 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 21,303 21,674 20,738 21,475 21,111 21,200 AR : 23,233 22,047 23,316 23,873 *22,589 22,624 DE : 4,804 4,867 4,584 4,851 5,746 4,625 FL : 1,333 1,191 1,255 1,145 1,271 1,138 GA : 28,232 28,784 29,038 27,781 *28,571 28,094 KY : *5,953 *6,467 *6,793 6,730 6,248 5,434 LA : 3,726 3,607 3,344 3,784 3,147 3,634 MD : 6,095 6,590 7,121 6,258 6,021 5,337 MS : 17,375 17,291 17,359 17,060 17,145 17,383 NC : 15,997 15,649 16,128 16,510 *16,014 16,120 OK : 5,632 4,964 5,213 4,447 5,430 5,395 PA : *3,352 *3,277 *3,254 *3,243 *3,272 3,318 SC : 4,776 4,418 4,434 5,151 4,812 4,997 TX : 13,022 13,108 12,730 13,324 12,709 12,859 VA : 5,720 5,021 4,767 4,860 4,077 5,302 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 17,060 18,201 18,143 *17,050 *18,442 18,014 : 177,613 177,156 178,217 177,542 176,605 175,474 : 177,312 177,686 180,188 180,084 180,594 178,545 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 100 100 99 99 98 98 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised END OF REPORT!

Broiler growers placed 175.0 million chicks for meat production. Placements were down 1.7% from the comparable week a year earlier.

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