Mixed U.S. Broiler Hatchery Situation

WASHINGTON - May 7/08 - SNS -- Broiler hatchery activity in the United States Broiler managed a mixed performance for the week ending May 3, 2008, shows today's USDA statistics.

Commercial hatcheries in the 19-State weekly program set 213.0 million eggs in incubators during the week. This was down 2.3% 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 Down 2 Percent Broiler growers in the 19-State weekly program placed 177 million chicks for meat production during the week ending May 3, 2008. Placements were down 2% from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from December 30, 2007 through May 3, 2008 were 3.21 billion, up 2% 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, 5285 Port Royal Rd., Springfield, VA 22161. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Mar 29 : Apr 5 : Apr 12 : Apr 19 : Apr 26 : May 3 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 31,597 31,799 *31,687 31,928 32,248 31,637 AR : 26,038 26,966 27,171 27,408 27,071 27,317 DE : 4,065 4,090 4,027 3,942 3,721 3,721 FL : 1,419 1,413 1,413 1,327 1,306 1,346 GA : 34,663 34,911 34,137 34,651 33,997 34,630 KY : *8,079 *8,086 *7,899 7,702 7,391 8,034 LA : 3,712 3,937 3,712 3,712 3,712 3,712 MD : 8,939 9,106 8,779 8,995 8,223 8,812 MS : 18,863 18,926 *18,879 18,877 18,999 18,266 NC : 19,419 19,609 *19,617 19,587 *19,604 19,326 OK : 6,135 6,368 6,580 6,682 6,252 6,655 PA : 4,290 4,265 4,198 *4,323 *4,202 4,148 SC : 5,436 5,391 5,611 5,406 5,420 5,371 TX : 15,732 *15,697 *15,588 *15,076 *15,346 14,656 VA : 6,350 6,269 *6,174 6,164 6,211 6,369 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 19,890 20,139 20,224 20,107 *19,433 19,567 : 214,627 216,972 215,696 215,887 213,136 213,567 : 216,513 218,877 219,385 220,515 218,515 218,353 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 99 99 98 98 98 98 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised Broiler Chicks Placed, 19 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Mar 29 : Apr 5 : Apr 12 : Apr 19 : Apr 26 : May 3 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 22,103 21,853 21,303 21,674 20,738 21,517 AR : 23,655 23,914 23,233 22,047 *23,316 23,873 DE : 5,203 4,902 4,804 4,867 4,584 4,851 FL : 1,353 1,291 1,333 1,191 1,255 1,145 GA : *29,045 *28,995 28,232 28,784 29,038 27,781 KY : 5,929 6,229 6,054 *6,569 *6,679 6,515 LA : 3,730 3,715 3,726 3,607 3,344 3,784 MD : 5,561 6,917 6,095 6,590 7,121 6,258 MS : 17,262 17,340 17,375 17,291 17,359 17,060 NC : 16,196 16,072 15,997 15,649 *16,128 16,478 OK : 4,913 5,173 5,632 4,964 5,213 4,447 PA : 3,215 3,435 3,352 *3,270 *3,323 3,207 SC : 4,877 5,159 4,776 4,418 4,434 5,151 TX : 13,573 *13,121 *13,022 *13,108 *12,730 13,324 VA : 5,448 5,069 5,720 5,021 4,767 4,860 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 18,309 17,846 17,035 18,143 *18,127 16,983 : 180,372 181,031 177,689 177,193 178,156 177,234 : 176,014 177,141 177,312 177,686 180,188 180,084 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 102 102 100 100 99 98 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised END OF REPORT!

Broiler growers placed 177.0 million chicks for meat production. Placements were down 1.7% from the comparable week a year earlier.

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