Declining U.S. Broiler Hatchery Activity

WASHINGTON - Jul 8/09 - SNS -- Broiler jatchery activity in the United States Broiler was generally lower for the week ending July 4, 2009 dropping below both week and year earlier levels, according to the latest USDA sector report.

Commercial hatcheries in the 19-State weekly program set 200.0 million eggs in incubators during the week. This was down 3.4% 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 3 Percent Broiler growers in the 19-State weekly program placed 170 million chicks for meat production during the week ending July 4, 2009. Placements were down 3% from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from December 28, 2008 through July 4, 2009 were 4.54 billion, down 6% 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 30 : Jun 6 : Jun 13 : Jun 20 : Jun 27 : Jul 4 : 2009 : 2009 : 2009 : 2009 : 2009 : 2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 29,805 29,809 29,912 29,215 29,514 30,089 AR : 23,971 23,965 23,699 23,384 23,020 22,811 DE : 3,587 3,579 3,463 3,470 3,484 3,751 FL : 1,081 1,083 1,066 1,081 1,025 990 GA : 31,945 32,399 *32,177 31,939 31,811 31,580 KY : 8,211 7,970 *8,027 7,816 *8,168 7,808 LA : 2,260 2,260 2,260 2,260 2,260 2,260 MD : 8,599 8,849 8,774 8,792 9,053 8,355 MS : 18,593 18,854 18,378 18,347 18,108 18,182 NC : 18,471 18,353 *17,758 18,481 18,696 18,525 OK : 6,735 7,056 *7,025 6,706 6,802 6,104 PA : 3,584 3,623 3,787 3,737 *3,858 3,777 SC : 5,831 5,589 5,822 5,256 5,328 5,705 TX : 15,821 15,754 15,955 16,051 15,544 15,164 VA : 6,285 6,328 6,257 6,222 6,256 6,194 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 19,860 19,929 19,583 19,964 18,644 18,707 : 204,639 205,400 203,943 202,721 201,571 200,002 : 216,910 217,504 212,986 213,178 210,187 207,613 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 94 94 96 95 96 96 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised Broiler Chicks Placed, 19 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : May 30 : Jun 6 : Jun 13 : Jun 20 : Jun 27 : Jul 4 : 2009 : 2009 : 2009 : 2009 : 2009 : 2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 20,188 21,280 21,273 20,780 *21,468 21,590 AR : 22,177 21,514 20,788 22,642 21,645 20,699 DE : 4,990 5,142 5,324 4,381 4,461 4,306 FL : 715 707 701 774 773 774 GA : 26,786 27,033 26,871 27,645 27,100 26,984 KY : 6,897 6,206 6,028 6,495 *5,933 6,579 LA : 1,933 1,922 1,942 1,937 2,026 2,025 MD : 6,330 6,251 5,682 6,678 5,949 6,011 MS : 16,324 16,600 16,428 16,589 16,475 16,315 NC : 15,851 15,527 15,216 15,420 *15,426 14,658 OK : 4,288 4,886 5,519 4,114 4,793 5,067 PA : 3,141 2,968 3,087 2,760 *2,926 3,049 SC : 4,858 4,522 4,752 4,561 4,496 4,745 TX : 13,413 13,369 13,531 13,723 13,772 13,723 VA : 4,556 4,883 4,920 4,812 5,651 5,241 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 16,955 17,538 18,531 17,331 17,841 17,954 : 169,402 170,348 170,593 170,642 170,735 169,720 : 177,037 179,821 179,598 179,576 179,182 175,576 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 96 95 95 95 95 97 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised END OF REPORT!

Broiler growers placed 169.0 million chicks for meat production. Placements were down 3.4% from the comparable week a year earlier.

Subscribers can read the full text of the article by Clicking here