Declining U.S. Broiler Hatchery Activity

WASHINGTON - Jul 9/08 - SNS -- Broiler jatchery activity in the United States Broiler was generally lower across the week closing July 5, 2008 dropping below both week and year earlier levels, shows this week's USDA statistics.

Commercial hatcheries in the 19-State weekly program set 207.0 million eggs in incubators during the week. This was down 4.2% 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 175 million chicks for meat production during the week ending July 5, 2008. Placements were down 2% from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from December 30, 2007 through July 5, 2008 were 4.81 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 :----------------------------------------------------------- : May 31 : Jun 7 : Jun 14 : Jun 21 : Jun 28 : Jul 5 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 32,731 32,740 *31,492 31,350 29,705 28,779 AR : 27,203 26,918 *26,137 26,337 *26,620 26,069 DE : 3,721 3,718 3,630 3,647 3,495 3,573 FL : 1,346 1,356 1,341 1,341 1,346 1,351 GA : 34,121 34,119 34,260 *34,231 33,955 32,653 KY : 8,194 *8,168 *7,405 7,713 7,461 7,963 LA : 3,620 3,651 3,642 3,651 3,651 3,651 MD : 8,601 8,976 8,236 *9,162 *8,594 8,618 MS : 18,981 19,074 18,930 18,761 18,624 18,772 NC : 19,359 19,169 *19,116 19,089 18,949 18,364 OK : 7,191 7,270 *6,850 6,987 7,240 7,170 PA : 4,592 4,474 4,539 4,550 *4,525 4,309 SC : 5,490 5,769 5,260 5,317 5,539 5,348 TX : *15,699 *15,787 *15,876 *15,897 *14,714 15,700 VA : 6,242 6,199 6,476 6,315 6,306 6,099 CA, MO, TN, & WV : *19,841 20,058 *19,771 *19,594 *19,173 19,522 : 216,932 217,446 212,961 213,942 209,897 207,941 : 218,990 219,184 217,590 216,287 210,141 216,018 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 99 99 98 99 100 96 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised Broiler Chicks Placed, 19 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : May 31 : Jun 7 : Jun 14 : Jun 21 : Jun 28 : Jul 5 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 21,497 22,140 22,327 22,049 *21,816 21,269 AR : 23,748 23,671 24,314 24,638 *22,783 22,988 DE : 5,206 5,127 4,521 *4,361 *5,208 4,213 FL : 1,383 1,146 1,136 1,224 1,216 1,315 GA : 28,993 29,052 28,012 *28,934 *29,311 28,537 KY : *6,020 *6,508 *6,918 *6,457 *7,095 6,344 LA : 3,683 3,794 3,742 3,755 3,632 3,456 MD : 5,602 5,939 6,308 *6,773 *6,114 6,083 MS : 17,259 17,348 17,262 17,186 17,283 16,882 NC : 16,076 16,047 16,010 *15,580 16,328 15,649 OK : 4,608 4,801 4,917 3,810 5,109 4,513 PA : 3,191 3,278 3,414 3,373 *3,373 3,393 SC : 4,756 4,726 5,494 5,220 *4,044 4,726 TX : 12,416 *12,997 *13,156 *13,200 *13,260 13,363 VA : 4,858 5,202 5,287 4,911 4,440 4,865 CA, MO, TN, & WV : *17,671 *18,157 16,595 17,773 18,146 16,914 : 176,967 179,933 179,413 179,244 179,158 174,510 : 180,055 180,462 179,754 180,026 178,938 178,318 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 98 100 100 100 100 98 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised END OF REPORT!

Broiler growers placed 174.0 million chicks for meat production. Placements were down 2.2% from the comparable week a year earlier.

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