Mixed U.S. Broiler Hatchery Situation

WASHINGTON - Mar 10/10 - SNS -- Broiler hatchery activity in the United States Broiler managed a mixed performance across the week finishing March 6, 2010, judging from this week's USDA data.

Commercial hatcheries in the 19-State weekly program set 206.0 million eggs in incubators during the week. This was up 2.0% 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 Up 1 Percent Broiler growers in the 19-State weekly program placed 169 million chicks for meat production during the week ending March 6, 2010. Placements were up 1% from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from January 3, 2010 through March 6, 2010 were 1.50 billion, down slightly 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, 5301 Shawnee Road, Alexandria VA 22312. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Jan 30 : Feb 6 : Feb 13 : Feb 20 : Feb 27 : Mar 6 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 29,666 29,407 29,791 30,090 *30,106 30,031 AR : 24,040 23,926 24,504 24,333 *24,481 24,429 DE : 2,948 3,225 3,269 3,266 3,264 3,193 FL : 1,388 1,389 1,352 1,376 1,385 1,338 GA : 31,126 31,757 31,630 31,902 *31,747 31,594 KY : *7,847 7,561 *7,493 7,502 *7,553 7,596 LA : 3,439 3,470 3,392 3,470 3,470 3,470 MD : 8,107 8,741 8,904 9,069 9,106 9,062 MS : 19,031 19,390 *19,380 19,016 19,465 19,349 NC : 18,362 18,767 *18,737 18,864 18,763 18,772 OK : 6,634 6,850 *6,807 7,003 *6,924 6,889 PA : 3,330 3,168 3,620 3,693 *3,698 3,583 SC : 5,830 5,435 5,515 5,675 5,977 5,643 TX : 15,744 *15,876 *15,973 *16,150 *15,813 15,453 VA : 6,301 6,301 6,490 6,435 6,427 6,549 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 18,511 18,805 18,882 *18,989 *19,647 19,193 : 202,304 204,068 205,739 206,833 207,826 206,144 : 198,417 201,805 202,817 204,603 206,753 202,111 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 102 101 101 101 101 102 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised Broiler Chicks Placed, 19 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Jan 30 : Feb 6 : Feb 13 : Feb 20 : Feb 27 : Mar 6 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 20,508 20,420 20,296 20,884 *20,739 20,701 AR : 21,191 19,920 20,798 21,265 *20,773 22,509 DE : 5,062 4,577 4,512 3,911 5,629 3,625 FL : 820 1,081 1,029 1,104 1,040 1,037 GA : 26,391 25,908 26,329 25,852 *26,205 25,869 KY : 6,555 6,138 6,289 6,149 *6,110 6,009 LA : 2,965 2,955 2,929 3,014 3,049 3,032 MD : 5,104 6,252 5,800 5,808 *5,316 6,589 MS : 15,903 16,484 16,259 16,617 16,897 17,174 NC : 15,234 15,072 14,868 *15,010 15,411 15,299 OK : 4,260 4,305 4,557 4,863 4,505 3,103 PA : 3,099 2,957 2,932 2,646 *2,609 2,884 SC : 4,813 4,613 4,952 4,982 5,071 5,156 TX : 12,785 12,407 12,239 12,960 13,167 13,254 VA : 5,154 4,412 4,731 4,948 4,561 5,751 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 15,593 15,767 16,095 15,799 *17,172 16,888 : 165,437 163,268 164,615 165,812 168,254 168,880 : 166,670 168,018 167,039 163,431 166,495 167,577 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 99 97 99 101 101 101 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised END OF REPORT!

Broiler growers placed 168.0 million chicks for meat production. Placements were up 0.6% from the comparable week a year earlier.