Broiler Hatchery National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released April 15, 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 1 Percent Commercial hatcheries in the 15-State weekly program set in incubators 177 million eggs during the week ending April 11, 1998. This was up 1 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 Down Slightly Broiler growers in the 15-State weekly program placed 140 million chicks for meat production during the week ending April 11, 1998. Placements were down slightly from the comparable week in 1997. Cumulative placements from January 4, 1998, through April 11, 1998 were 1.94 billion, down slightly from the same period a year earlier. * * * * * * * * The next "Broiler Hatchery" report will be released at 3 p.m. ET on April 22, 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 :----------------------------------------------------------------- : Mar 7 : Mar 14 : Mar 21 : Mar 28 : Apr 4 : Apr 11 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 25,715 25,451 26,002 26,080 26,507 26,498 AR : 29,663 29,640 29,147 28,921 29,766 29,985 DE : 4,694 4,566 4,529 4,677 4,563 4,462 FL : 2,845 2,698 2,868 2,838 2,887 2,853 GA : 29,860 30,289 29,918 30,389 *30,397 30,645 MD : 8,588 8,775 8,733 8,878 8,884 8,840 MS : 17,727 17,889 17,952 17,824 17,843 18,001 NC : 17,984 18,034 *17,487 17,200 *17,643 17,773 PA : 3,733 3,734 3,420 3,690 *3,720 3,586 SC : 4,224 4,233 4,234 4,224 4,302 4,286 TX : 13,052 12,811 12,400 11,207 12,320 12,301 VA : 6,639 6,573 6,664 6,636 6,602 6,670 CA, TN, & WV : 10,980 10,692 10,920 10,876 *11,090 11,024 : 15 State Total: 175,704 175,385 *174,274 173,440 *176,524 176,924 : Previous Year : 174,173 172,521 172,495 169,906 174,509 174,847 : Pct. of Prev. : 101 102 101 102 101 101 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised. Broiler Chicks Placed, 15 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------------- : Mar 7 : Mar 14 : Mar 21 : Mar 28 : Apr 4 : Apr 11 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 18,278 19,153 19,139 18,365 18,540 18,319 AR : 24,297 23,158 24,697 23,934 23,754 23,215 DE : 4,957 5,695 5,770 4,965 5,896 4,669 FL : 2,866 2,581 2,751 2,790 2,448 2,848 GA : 23,849 23,474 24,016 24,273 *24,702 24,460 MD : 6,544 5,789 6,013 6,509 5,628 6,307 MS : 14,594 14,938 14,976 14,977 15,020 15,534 NC : 13,678 13,298 13,508 13,576 14,350 13,779 PA : 2,710 2,754 2,749 2,753 *2,868 2,644 SC : 3,958 4,017 4,204 3,626 3,039 3,281 TX : *9,602 *9,766 *10,180 *10,020 9,719 9,281 VA : 5,154 5,449 5,578 5,531 5,288 5,632 CA, TN, & WV : 9,722 9,053 9,242 10,442 *9,777 10,148 : 15 State Total: *140,209 *139,125 *142,823 *141,761 *141,029 140,117 : Previous Year : 139,025 140,735 141,807 141,814 140,989 140,129 : Pct. of Prev. : 101 99 101 100 100 100 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised.