Broiler Hatchery National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released April 29, 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 176 million eggs during the week ending April 25, 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 Up 1 Percent Broiler growers in the 15-State weekly program placed 142 million chicks for meat production during the week ending April 25, 1998. Placements were up 1 perent from the comparable week in 1997. Cumulative placements from January 4, 1998, through April 25, 1998 were 2.22 billion, up slightly from the same period a year earlier. * * * * * * * * The next "Broiler Hatchery" report will be released at 3 p.m. ET on May 6, 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 21 : Mar 28 : Apr 4 : Apr 11 : Apr 18 : Apr 25 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 26,002 26,060 *26,416 26,498 25,995 25,895 AR : 29,147 29,272 29,766 *30,013 28,772 29,228 DE : 4,529 4,677 4,563 4,462 4,402 4,389 FL : 2,868 2,838 2,887 2,853 2,888 2,914 GA : 29,918 *30,356 *30,359 30,643 *30,425 30,935 MD : 8,733 8,878 8,884 8,879 8,716 8,888 MS : 17,952 17,824 17,843 18,001 17,654 17,745 NC : 17,487 17,285 17,643 17,773 17,799 17,600 PA : 3,420 3,690 3,564 *3,608 *3,783 3,677 SC : 4,234 4,224 4,302 4,286 4,399 4,379 TX : 12,400 12,326 12,320 12,301 12,444 12,580 VA : 6,664 6,636 6,602 6,649 6,659 6,772 CA, TN, & WV : 10,920 10,876 11,090 11,024 10,807 10,878 : 15 State Total: 174,274 *174,942 *176,239 *176,990 *174,743 175,880 : Previous Year : 172,495 169,906 174,509 174,847 174,755 174,256 : Pct. of Prev. : 101 103 101 101 100 101 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised. Broiler Chicks Placed, 15 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------------- : Mar 21 : Mar 28 : Apr 4 : Apr 11 : Apr 18 : Apr 25 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 19,139 18,350 18,540 18,319 18,782 18,856 AR : 24,697 23,934 23,754 *23,226 23,431 24,281 DE : 5,770 4,965 5,896 4,602 5,381 5,613 FL : 2,751 2,790 2,448 2,848 2,619 2,682 GA : 24,016 24,273 24,702 24,451 *24,472 24,520 MD : 6,013 6,509 5,628 6,374 5,940 5,815 MS : 14,976 14,977 15,020 15,534 14,723 15,062 NC : 13,508 13,576 14,350 13,779 13,966 13,365 PA : 2,749 2,753 2,887 *2,684 *2,832 2,743 SC : 4,204 3,626 3,039 3,281 3,441 3,896 TX : 10,180 10,020 9,719 9,281 *9,297 9,519 VA : 5,578 5,531 5,288 5,602 5,357 5,605 CA, TN, & WV : 9,242 10,442 9,777 10,217 9,798 10,183 : 15 State Total: 142,823 141,746 141,048 *140,198 *140,039 142,140 : Previous Year : 141,807 141,814 140,989 140,129 137,516 140,313 : Pct. of Prev. : 101 100 100 100 102 101 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised.