Broiler Hatchery National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released April 8, 1998, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on "Broiler Hatchery" call Tom Kruchten at (202) 690-4870, office hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. Broiler Eggs Set In 15 Selected States Up 2 Percent Commercial hatcheries in the 15-State weekly program set in incubators 177 million eggs during the week ending April 4, 1998. This was up 2 percent from the eggs set the corresponding week a year earlier. Average hatchability for chicks hatched during the week was 82 percent. Average hatchability is calculated by dividing chicks hatched during the week by eggs set three weeks earlier. Broiler Chicks Placed Up 1 Percent Broiler growers in the 15-State weekly program placed 141 million chicks for meat production during the week ending April 4, 1998. Placements were up 1 percent from the comparable week in 1997. Cumulative placements from January 4, 1998, through April 4, 1998 were 1.80 billion, up slightly from the same period a year earlier. * * * * * * * * The next "Broiler Hatchery" report will be released at 3 p.m. ET on April 15, 1998. 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. Pou 2-2 (4-98) Broiler Eggs Set, 15 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------------- : Feb 28 : Mar 7 : Mar 14 : Mar 21 : Mar 28 : Apr 4 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 26,014 25,715 25,451 26,002 26,080 26,507 AR : 29,806 29,663 29,640 29,147 28,921 29,766 DE : 4,643 4,694 4,566 4,529 4,677 4,563 FL : 2,862 2,845 2,698 2,868 2,838 2,887 GA : 29,948 29,860 30,289 29,918 *30,389 30,419 MD : 8,905 8,588 8,775 8,733 8,878 8,884 MS : 17,783 17,727 17,889 17,952 17,824 17,843 NC : 17,677 17,984 *18,034 17,424 17,200 17,875 PA : 3,797 3,733 3,734 3,420 *3,690 3,684 SC : 4,301 4,224 4,233 4,234 4,224 4,302 TX : 13,140 13,052 12,811 12,400 11,207 12,320 VA : 6,658 6,639 6,573 6,664 *6,636 6,602 CA, TN, & WV : 10,627 10,980 10,692 10,920 10,876 10,908 : 15 State Total: 176,161 175,704 *175,385 174,211 *173,440 176,560 : Previous Year : 173,860 173,061 171,546 171,495 168,883 173,505 : Pct. of Prev. : 101 102 102 102 103 102 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised. Broiler Chicks Placed, 15 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------------- : Feb 28 : Mar 7 : Mar 14 : Mar 21 : Mar 28 : Apr 4 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 17,889 18,278 19,153 19,139 18,365 18,540 AR : 24,875 24,297 23,158 24,697 23,934 23,754 DE : 5,257 4,957 5,695 5,770 4,965 5,896 FL : 2,786 2,866 2,581 2,751 2,790 2,448 GA : 23,098 23,849 23,474 24,016 *24,273 24,477 MD : 5,390 6,544 5,789 6,013 *6,509 5,628 MS : 14,483 14,594 14,938 14,976 14,977 15,020 NC : 13,031 13,678 13,298 13,508 13,576 14,350 PA : *2,713 *2,710 2,754 2,749 *2,753 2,857 SC : 4,015 3,958 4,017 4,204 3,626 3,039 TX : 9,694 9,578 9,742 10,156 10,022 9,719 VA : 5,255 5,154 5,449 5,578 *5,531 5,288 CA, TN, & WV : 9,161 9,722 9,053 9,242 *10,442 9,798 : 15 State Total: *137,647 *140,185 139,101 142,799 *141,763 140,814 : Previous Year : 139,848 138,729 139,880 140,845 140,214 139,871 : Pct. of Prev. : 98 101 99 101 101 101 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised.