Mixed U.S. Broiler Hatchery Situation

WASHINGTON - May 5/10 - SNS -- Broiler hatchery activity in the United States Broiler managed a mixed performance during the week closing May 1, 2010, according to this week's USDA statistics.

Commercial hatcheries in the 19-State weekly program set 206.0 million eggs in incubators during the week. This was up 2.5% 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 172 million chicks for meat production during the week ending May 1, 2010. Placements were up 2% from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from January 3, 2010 through May 1, 2010 were 2.86 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 27 : Apr 3 : Apr 10 : Apr 17 : Apr 24 : May 1 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 30,357 *29,380 *30,384 30,182 30,292 30,944 AR : 23,828 23,869 *24,424 23,825 *23,449 24,111 DE : 3,709 3,771 3,783 3,783 *3,787 3,787 FL : 1,343 1,350 1,342 1,382 1,389 1,380 GA : 31,500 31,094 *32,011 31,808 31,695 31,665 KY : 7,582 7,927 *8,435 7,566 7,747 7,846 LA : 3,470 3,379 3,500 3,500 3,470 3,490 MD : 9,089 8,965 9,058 8,906 8,184 7,059 MS : 19,405 19,204 *19,287 19,160 19,023 18,816 NC : 18,713 18,616 *18,620 18,748 19,497 19,708 OK : 6,907 6,657 *6,986 7,133 *6,705 6,747 PA : 3,791 3,691 3,738 3,784 3,802 3,759 SC : 5,990 5,735 5,770 5,507 5,667 5,839 TX : 14,762 15,568 15,548 15,654 15,816 15,900 VA : 6,178 6,466 6,527 6,531 6,792 6,616 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 18,729 18,925 19,549 19,366 19,465 18,923 : 205,353 204,597 208,962 206,835 206,780 206,590 : 200,465 204,257 203,712 203,819 202,068 201,582 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 102 100 103 101 102 102 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised Broiler Chicks Placed, 19 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Mar 27 : Apr 3 : Apr 10 : Apr 17 : Apr 24 : May 1 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 20,850 20,504 20,790 *21,377 *20,340 21,540 AR : 21,428 21,932 21,793 20,910 *21,719 22,217 DE : 4,391 4,672 4,654 5,404 *4,850 5,150 FL : 1,076 972 944 1,102 1,140 955 GA : 27,287 26,235 26,788 26,360 25,735 27,203 KY : 6,236 6,837 6,792 6,001 6,175 6,716 LA : 3,059 3,023 3,112 3,134 3,187 3,148 MD : 6,223 6,099 7,133 5,735 *6,353 6,588 MS : 16,766 16,463 17,012 16,879 16,766 16,770 NC : 15,853 15,705 15,088 15,600 15,578 15,383 OK : 4,347 3,290 5,179 4,399 3,507 3,563 PA : 2,943 3,036 3,020 3,029 *2,907 2,981 SC : 4,114 4,775 5,416 5,344 5,781 4,485 TX : 12,840 12,984 13,021 12,462 12,825 12,931 VA : 5,328 5,316 4,840 4,658 5,035 5,037 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 16,422 16,683 16,952 16,772 17,468 17,596 : 169,163 168,526 172,534 169,166 169,366 172,263 : 167,562 168,792 167,137 166,888 169,887 169,262 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 101 100 103 101 100 102 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised END OF REPORT!

Broiler growers placed 172.0 million chicks for meat production. Placements were up 1.8% from the comparable week a year earlier.