Broiler Hatchery National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released April 22, 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 Down Slightly Commercial hatcheries in the 15-State weekly program set in incubators 175 million eggs during the week ending April 18, 1998. This was down slightly 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 2 Percent Broiler growers in the 15-State weekly program placed 140 million chicks for meat production during the week ending April 18, 1998. Placements were up 2 perent from the comparable week in 1997. Cumulative placements from January 4, 1998, through April 18, 1998 were 2.08 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 29, 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 14 : Mar 21 : Mar 28 : Apr 4 : Apr 11 : Apr 18 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 25,451 26,002 *26,060 26,507 26,498 25,995 AR : 29,640 29,147 *29,272 29,766 29,985 28,772 DE : 4,566 4,529 4,677 4,563 4,462 4,402 FL : 2,698 2,868 2,838 2,887 2,853 2,888 GA : 30,289 29,918 30,389 30,397 *30,643 30,472 MD : 8,775 8,733 8,878 8,884 *8,879 8,716 MS : 17,889 17,952 17,824 17,843 18,001 17,654 NC : 18,034 17,487 *17,285 17,643 17,773 17,799 PA : 3,734 3,420 3,690 *3,564 *3,599 3,542 SC : 4,233 4,234 4,224 4,302 4,286 4,399 TX : 12,811 12,400 *12,326 12,320 12,301 12,444 VA : 6,573 6,664 6,636 6,602 *6,649 6,659 CA, TN, & WV : 10,692 10,920 10,876 11,090 11,024 10,807 : 15 State Total: 175,385 174,274 *174,975 *176,368 *176,953 174,549 : Previous Year : 172,521 172,495 169,906 174,509 174,847 174,755 : Pct. of Prev. : 102 101 103 101 101 100 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised. Broiler Chicks Placed, 15 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------------- : Mar 14 : Mar 21 : Mar 28 : Apr 4 : Apr 11 : Apr 18 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 19,153 19,139 *18,350 18,540 18,319 18,782 AR : 23,158 24,697 23,934 23,754 23,215 23,431 DE : 5,695 5,770 4,965 5,896 *4,602 5,381 FL : 2,581 2,751 2,790 2,448 2,848 2,619 GA : 23,474 24,016 24,273 24,702 *24,451 24,492 MD : 5,789 6,013 6,509 5,628 *6,374 5,940 MS : 14,938 14,976 14,977 15,020 15,534 14,723 NC : 13,298 13,508 13,576 14,350 13,779 13,966 PA : 2,754 2,749 2,753 *2,887 *2,699 2,835 SC : 4,017 4,204 3,626 3,039 3,281 3,441 TX : 9,766 10,180 10,020 9,719 9,281 9,293 VA : 5,449 5,578 5,531 5,288 *5,602 5,357 CA, TN, & WV : 9,053 9,242 10,442 9,777 *10,217 9,798 : 15 State Total: 139,125 142,823 *141,746 *141,048 *140,202 140,058 : Previous Year : 140,735 141,807 141,814 140,989 140,129 137,516 : Pct. of Prev. : 99 101 100 100 100 102 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised.