Chicks Placed Lifts U.S. Broiler Hatchery

WASHINGTON - Jun 2/10 - SNS -- Broiler hatchery activity in the United States pulled ahead of year earlier levels over the week closing May 29, 2010 helped by a week over week increase in the number of chicks placed, according to this week's USDA report.

Commercial hatcheries in the 19-State weekly program set 210.0 million eggs in incubators during the week. This was up 1.9% 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 173 million chicks for meat production during the week ending May 29, 2010. Placements were up 2% from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from January 3, 2010 through May 29, 2010 were 3.54 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 24 : May 1 : May 8 : May 15 : May 22 : May 29 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 30,083 30,902 30,489 30,418 30,776 30,709 AR : 23,449 24,098 *24,124 24,365 *24,621 24,578 DE : 3,787 3,787 3,771 3,796 3,813 3,815 FL : 1,389 1,380 1,391 1,388 1,388 1,382 GA : 31,695 31,665 31,765 32,372 32,484 32,479 KY : 7,577 7,948 *8,074 7,892 7,858 7,938 LA : 3,470 3,500 3,319 3,319 3,409 3,470 MD : 8,184 7,059 8,050 8,018 8,240 7,987 MS : 19,023 18,816 *19,170 *19,282 19,140 19,368 NC : 19,809 20,033 *19,864 20,006 20,161 19,989 OK : 6,705 6,747 6,873 6,924 6,633 6,698 PA : 3,802 3,735 3,643 *3,832 *4,144 3,768 SC : 5,667 5,839 5,789 5,796 6,004 5,769 TX : 15,836 15,920 *16,048 16,108 16,256 16,227 VA : 6,792 6,616 6,531 6,429 6,411 6,437 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 19,778 18,913 19,831 20,034 *20,157 20,152 : 207,046 206,958 208,732 209,979 211,495 210,766 : 202,068 201,582 204,581 205,499 205,375 206,039 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 102 103 102 102 103 102 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised Broiler Chicks Placed, 19 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Apr 24 : May 1 : May 8 : May 15 : May 22 : May 29 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 : 2010 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 20,340 21,332 21,383 21,189 21,264 21,702 AR : 21,719 22,183 20,938 21,337 *22,440 21,211 DE : 4,850 5,150 4,657 5,053 4,757 4,753 FL : 1,140 955 1,008 1,129 1,022 1,040 GA : 25,735 27,144 26,866 26,148 *26,958 26,971 KY : 6,167 6,824 6,345 5,440 6,363 6,832 LA : 3,187 3,153 3,142 3,296 3,186 3,021 MD : 6,353 6,588 6,130 6,446 5,618 6,843 MS : 16,766 16,770 *16,794 *16,838 16,832 16,578 NC : 15,578 *15,382 15,362 15,547 15,247 15,080 OK : 3,507 3,609 4,900 4,135 3,191 4,481 PA : 2,907 2,945 3,048 *3,055 *3,077 2,963 SC : 5,781 4,485 4,631 5,762 4,940 5,060 TX : 12,830 12,937 12,909 12,952 13,094 13,226 VA : 5,035 5,037 5,905 5,487 5,613 4,902 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 17,469 17,894 16,778 18,036 16,949 18,022 : 169,364 172,388 170,796 171,850 170,551 172,685 : 169,887 169,262 169,977 168,175 167,722 169,961 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 100 102 100 102 102 102 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * 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.