Eggs Set Advances U.S. Broiler Hatchery

WASHINGTON - May 26/10 - SNS -- Broiler hatchery activity in the United States pulled ahead of year earlier levels across the seven days closing May 22, 2010 even though the number of chicks placed was down on the weekhelped by a week over week improvement in the number of eggs set, shows the current USDA data.

Commercial hatcheries in the 19-State weekly program set 211.0 million eggs in incubators during the week. This was up 2.9% 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 171 million chicks for meat production during the week ending May 22, 2010. Placements were up 2% from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from January 3, 2010 through May 22, 2010 were 3.37 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 :----------------------------------------------------------- : Apr 17 : Apr 24 : May 1 : May 8 : May 15 : May 22 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 30,199 30,083 *30,902 30,489 30,418 30,776 AR : 23,406 23,449 *24,098 23,547 *24,365 24,333 DE : 3,783 3,787 3,787 3,771 3,796 3,813 FL : 1,382 1,389 1,380 1,391 1,388 1,388 GA : 31,808 31,695 31,665 31,765 *32,372 32,484 KY : 7,711 7,577 *7,948 8,178 7,892 7,858 LA : 3,500 3,470 3,500 3,319 3,319 3,409 MD : 8,906 8,184 7,059 8,050 8,018 8,240 MS : 19,160 19,023 18,816 19,109 19,286 19,140 NC : 18,704 19,809 *20,033 19,789 20,006 20,161 OK : 6,924 6,705 6,747 6,873 6,924 6,633 PA : 3,784 3,802 3,735 3,643 *3,855 3,940 SC : 5,507 5,667 5,839 5,789 5,796 6,004 TX : 15,674 15,836 15,920 15,669 16,108 16,256 VA : 6,531 6,792 6,616 6,531 6,429 6,411 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 19,530 19,778 18,913 *19,831 *20,034 20,286 : 206,509 207,046 206,958 207,744 210,006 211,132 : 203,819 202,068 201,582 204,581 205,499 205,375 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 101 102 103 102 102 103 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised Broiler Chicks Placed, 19 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Apr 17 : Apr 24 : May 1 : May 8 : May 15 : May 22 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 21,377 20,340 21,332 21,383 21,189 21,264 AR : 20,910 21,719 22,183 20,938 *21,337 22,608 DE : 5,404 4,850 5,150 4,657 5,053 4,757 FL : 1,102 1,140 955 1,008 1,129 1,022 GA : 26,360 25,735 27,144 26,866 *26,148 27,003 KY : 5,994 6,167 6,824 6,345 5,440 6,363 LA : 3,134 3,187 3,153 3,142 3,296 3,186 MD : 5,735 6,353 6,588 6,130 6,446 5,618 MS : 16,879 16,766 16,770 16,814 *16,833 16,832 NC : 15,600 15,578 15,383 15,362 15,547 15,247 OK : 4,399 3,507 3,609 4,900 4,135 3,191 PA : 3,029 2,907 2,945 3,048 *3,044 3,044 SC : 5,344 5,781 4,485 4,631 5,762 4,940 TX : 12,462 12,830 12,937 12,909 12,952 13,094 VA : 4,658 5,035 5,037 5,905 5,487 5,613 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 16,802 17,469 17,894 16,778 *18,036 16,949 : 169,189 169,364 172,389 170,816 171,834 170,731 : 166,888 169,887 169,262 169,977 168,175 167,722 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 101 100 102 100 102 102 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised END OF REPORT!

Broiler growers placed 170.0 million chicks for meat production. Placements were up 1.8% from the comparable week a year earlier.