Signficant Increase in U.S. Broiler Hatchery

WASHINGTON - Apr 14/10 - SNS -- Broiler hatchery activity in the United States registered a signficant increase over the seven days finishing April 10, 2010, says the USDA in this week's report.

Commercial hatcheries in the 19-State weekly program set 207.0 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 84%. Average hatchability is calculated by dividing chicks hatched during the week by eggs set three weeks earlier. Broiler Chicks Placed Up 4 Percent Broiler growers in the 19-State weekly program placed 173 million chicks for meat production during the week ending April 10, 2010. Placements were up 4% from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from January 3, 2010 through April 10, 2010 were 2.35 billion, up 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 :----------------------------------------------------------- : Mar 6 : Mar 13 : Mar 20 : Mar 27 : Apr 3 : Apr 10 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 30,017 29,652 *30,274 30,325 29,344 30,132 AR : 24,284 23,115 *23,825 *23,831 *23,520 24,034 DE : 3,193 3,782 3,615 3,709 *3,771 3,782 FL : 1,338 1,303 1,316 1,343 1,350 1,342 GA : 31,745 31,691 31,701 31,500 31,094 31,925 KY : *7,833 *7,842 *8,177 7,708 7,784 8,301 LA : 3,470 3,440 3,500 3,470 3,379 3,500 MD : 9,062 8,856 9,141 9,089 *8,965 9,058 MS : 19,349 19,156 19,503 19,405 19,204 18,939 NC : 18,790 18,767 *18,480 18,743 18,654 18,464 OK : 6,623 6,866 *6,986 7,137 *6,880 7,209 PA : 3,692 3,839 3,743 3,791 *3,716 3,874 SC : 5,643 5,640 6,048 5,990 5,735 5,770 TX : *15,471 *15,590 *15,545 *14,762 *15,568 15,548 VA : 6,549 6,543 6,412 6,178 6,466 6,527 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 19,435 *19,481 *19,129 *18,743 *18,939 19,573 : 206,494 205,563 207,395 205,724 204,369 207,978 : 202,111 203,072 200,382 199,817 203,634 203,036 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 102 101 103 103 100 102 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised Broiler Chicks Placed, 19 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Mar 6 : Mar 13 : Mar 20 : Mar 27 : Apr 3 : Apr 10 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 20,883 21,449 20,750 20,850 20,504 20,875 AR : 22,446 21,477 21,677 21,428 *21,932 21,837 DE : 3,625 4,581 4,994 4,391 *4,672 4,602 FL : 1,037 1,030 1,029 *1,076 *972 944 GA : 25,847 25,946 26,433 27,287 26,235 26,788 KY : 6,033 6,450 5,983 6,256 6,837 6,792 LA : 3,032 3,021 3,043 3,059 3,023 3,112 MD : 6,589 6,115 6,069 6,223 *6,099 7,083 MS : 17,174 16,809 16,891 16,766 16,463 17,013 NC : 15,299 15,790 15,610 15,853 15,705 15,089 OK : 3,172 4,658 4,286 4,347 3,290 5,179 PA : 2,854 3,023 2,993 2,943 *2,996 3,004 SC : 5,156 4,841 4,810 4,114 4,775 5,416 TX : *13,267 *13,395 *13,223 *12,840 *12,984 13,021 VA : 5,751 5,212 5,052 5,328 5,316 4,840 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 16,893 *16,386 *17,096 *16,417 *16,697 16,961 : 169,058 170,183 169,939 169,178 168,500 172,556 : 167,577 169,505 170,633 167,014 168,980 166,390 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 101 100 100 101 100 104 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised END OF REPORT!

Broiler growers placed 172.0 million chicks for meat production. Placements were up 3.6% from the comparable week a year earlier.