Mixed U.S. Broiler Hatchery Situation

WASHINGTON - Jun 4/08 - SNS -- Broiler hatchery activity in the United States Broiler managed a mixed performance over the week closing May 31, 2008, reveals today's USDA report on the sector.

Commercial hatcheries in the 19-State weekly program set 216.0 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 84%. 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 176 million chicks for meat production during the week ending May 31, 2008. Placements were down 2% from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from December 30, 2007 through May 31, 2008 were 3.92 billion, up 1% 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 26 : May 3 : May 10 : May 17 : May 24 : May 31 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 32,212 31,637 31,858 32,089 *31,905 32,156 AR : 27,071 27,317 26,611 27,150 27,244 27,138 DE : 3,721 3,721 3,718 3,728 3,717 3,721 FL : 1,331 1,346 1,336 1,331 1,336 1,346 GA : *34,021 34,630 *34,041 34,854 *34,509 34,004 KY : *7,249 *8,102 *8,159 8,125 *8,213 8,154 LA : 3,712 3,712 3,712 3,650 3,682 3,620 MD : 8,223 8,812 8,840 8,796 8,771 8,601 MS : 18,999 18,266 18,893 19,060 18,948 18,981 NC : 19,475 19,314 *19,740 19,711 *19,587 19,577 OK : *6,791 *7,215 *7,446 *7,399 *7,301 7,204 PA : 4,193 4,231 *4,232 *4,405 *4,442 4,523 SC : 5,420 5,371 5,491 5,718 5,556 5,490 TX : 15,346 14,656 14,846 15,477 15,495 15,609 VA : 6,211 6,444 5,939 6,429 6,257 6,242 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 19,700 19,641 19,640 *19,889 *19,723 20,114 : 213,675 214,415 214,502 217,811 216,686 216,480 : 218,515 218,353 219,938 219,928 219,527 218,990 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 98 98 98 99 99 99 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised Broiler Chicks Placed, 19 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Apr 26 : May 3 : May 10 : May 17 : May 24 : May 31 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 20,738 21,475 21,111 21,200 *21,782 20,382 AR : *23,338 *23,995 *22,615 *22,940 *25,035 23,736 DE : 4,584 4,851 5,746 4,321 4,949 5,206 FL : 1,255 1,145 1,271 1,138 1,136 1,383 GA : 29,038 27,781 28,571 28,094 *28,981 28,628 KY : 6,793 6,730 6,246 *5,431 *6,177 6,117 LA : 3,344 3,784 3,147 3,634 3,474 3,683 MD : 7,121 6,258 6,021 5,712 6,008 5,602 MS : 17,359 17,060 17,145 17,383 *16,614 17,259 NC : 16,128 16,510 16,014 16,120 *16,087 16,076 OK : *5,214 *4,445 5,430 5,136 *3,883 4,608 PA : 3,254 3,234 *3,262 *3,254 *3,261 3,220 SC : 4,434 5,151 4,812 4,997 4,618 4,756 TX : 12,730 13,324 12,709 12,859 12,535 12,424 VA : 4,767 4,948 4,077 5,113 4,976 4,858 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 18,143 17,050 18,442 18,014 *17,271 17,632 : 178,240 177,741 176,619 175,346 176,787 175,570 : 180,188 180,084 180,594 178,545 179,069 180,055 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 99 99 98 98 99 98 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised END OF REPORT!

Broiler growers placed 175.0 million chicks for meat production. Placements were down 2.8% from the comparable week a year earlier.

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