February Egg Output Manages to Rise 1%

WASHINGTON - Mar 21/03 - SNS -- Egg production in the United States managed to advance 1% above year earlier levels during February, reaching 6.62 billion eggs, according to the latest USDA data.

Production included 5.63 billion table eggs and 985 million hatching eggs, of which 927 million were broiler-type and 58.0 million were egg-type. The total number of layers during February 2003 averaged 338 million, up slightly from a year earlier. February egg production per 100 layers was 1,957 eggs, up 1% from February 2002.

All layers in the U.S. on March 1, 2003, totaled 338 million, up slightly from a year ago. The 338 million layers consisted of 278 million layers producing table type eggs, 57.4 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 2.62 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on March 1, 2003, averaged 69.6 eggs per 100 layers, down 1% from a year ago.

Laying flocks in the 30 major egg producing States produced 6.18 billion eggs during February 2003, up slightly from a year ago. The average number of layers during February, at 316 million, was down slightly from a year ago.

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