U.S. Broiler Hatchery Down On Week, Up on Year

WASHINGTON - Apr 21/10 - SNS -- Broiler hatchery activity in the United States Broiler was up the year, but declined from the previous week, reveals this week's USDA report over the seven days finishing April 17, 2010.

Commercial hatcheries in the 19-State weekly program set 206.0 million eggs in incubators during the week. This was up 1.5% 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 2 Percent Broiler growers in the 19-State weekly program placed 169 million chicks for meat production during the week ending April 17, 2010. Placements were up 2% from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from January 3, 2010 through April 17, 2010 were 2.52 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 :----------------------------------------------------------- : Mar 13 : Mar 20 : Mar 27 : Apr 3 : Apr 10 : Apr 17 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 29,652 30,274 *30,357 29,344 30,132 30,182 AR : 23,115 23,825 *23,828 23,520 *24,268 23,825 DE : 3,782 3,615 3,709 3,771 *3,783 3,785 FL : 1,303 1,316 1,343 1,350 1,342 1,382 GA : 31,691 31,701 31,500 31,094 31,925 31,808 KY : 7,842 8,177 *7,551 7,784 8,301 7,566 LA : 3,440 3,500 3,470 3,379 3,500 3,500 MD : 8,856 9,141 9,089 8,965 9,058 8,906 MS : 19,156 19,503 19,405 19,204 18,939 19,160 NC : 18,767 18,480 *18,713 18,654 18,464 18,748 OK : 6,866 6,986 *6,907 6,880 *7,202 7,140 PA : 3,839 3,743 3,791 *3,691 *3,720 3,773 SC : 5,640 6,048 5,990 5,735 5,770 5,507 TX : 15,590 15,545 14,762 15,568 15,548 15,654 VA : 6,543 6,412 6,178 6,466 6,527 6,531 CA, MO, TN, & WV : *19,424 *19,115 *18,729 *18,925 *19,559 19,375 : 205,506 207,381 205,322 204,330 208,038 206,842 : 203,708 201,053 200,465 204,257 203,712 203,819 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 101 103 102 100 102 101 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised Broiler Chicks Placed, 19 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Mar 13 : Mar 20 : Mar 27 : Apr 3 : Apr 10 : Apr 17 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 21,449 20,750 20,850 20,504 *20,790 21,438 AR : 21,477 21,677 21,428 21,932 *21,793 20,910 DE : 4,581 4,994 4,391 4,672 *4,654 5,409 FL : 1,030 1,029 1,076 972 944 1,102 GA : 25,946 26,433 27,287 26,235 26,788 26,420 KY : *6,430 *5,963 *6,236 6,837 6,792 6,201 LA : 3,021 3,043 3,059 3,023 3,112 3,134 MD : 6,115 6,069 6,223 6,099 *7,133 5,786 MS : 16,809 16,891 16,766 16,463 *17,012 16,879 NC : 15,790 15,610 15,853 15,705 15,089 15,600 OK : 4,658 4,286 4,347 3,290 5,179 4,399 PA : 3,023 2,993 2,943 *3,036 *2,980 2,925 SC : 4,841 4,810 4,114 4,775 5,416 5,344 TX : 13,395 13,223 12,840 12,984 13,021 12,462 VA : 5,212 5,052 5,328 5,316 4,840 4,661 CA, MO, TN, & WV : *16,388 *17,108 *16,422 *16,683 *16,964 16,805 : 170,165 169,931 169,163 168,526 172,507 169,475 : 170,051 171,987 167,562 168,792 167,137 166,888 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 100 99 101 100 103 102 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised END OF REPORT!

Broiler growers placed 169.0 million chicks for meat production. Placements were up 1.8% from the comparable week a year earlier.