Broiler Hatchery National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released November 18, 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 4 Percent Commercial hatcheries in the 15-State weekly program set in incubators 179 million eggs during the week ending November 14, 1998. This was up 4 percent from the eggs set the corresponding week a year earlier. Average hatchability for chicks hatched during the week was 81 percent. Average hatchability is calculated by dividing chicks hatched during the week by eggs set three weeks earlier. Broiler Chicks Placed Up 3 Percent Broiler growers in the 15-State weekly program placed 129 million chicks for meat production during the week ending November 14, 1998. Placements were up 3 percent from the comparable week in 1997. Cumulative placements from January 4, 1998, through November 14, 1998 were 6.23 billion, up slightly from the same period a year earlier. * * * * * * * * The next "Broiler Hatchery" report will be released at 3 p.m. ET on November 25, 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. Broiler Eggs Set, 15 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------------- : Oct 10 : Oct 17 : Oct 24 : Oct 31 : Nov 7 : Nov 14 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 23,968 24,568 *25,032 25,939 25,521 27,216 AR : 28,466 28,087 27,567 28,319 *28,220 29,524 DE : 4,095 4,098 4,068 4,610 4,167 4,182 FL : 2,510 2,461 2,826 2,749 2,696 2,861 GA : 31,151 30,865 28,924 *30,720 *31,126 31,815 MD : 8,725 7,697 7,806 8,442 8,893 8,621 MS : 17,624 16,423 *16,593 17,714 16,984 17,933 NC : 15,992 15,659 *15,887 17,084 17,617 17,277 PA : 3,607 3,274 3,200 3,502 3,361 3,808 SC : 4,498 4,548 4,276 4,553 4,653 4,790 TX : 12,850 12,314 11,932 11,744 12,390 13,062 VA : 6,104 6,172 6,039 6,053 6,233 6,660 CA, TN, & WV : 10,288 11,131 10,517 10,618 11,115 11,352 : 15 State Total: 169,878 167,297 *164,667 *172,047 *172,976 179,101 : Previous Year : 165,123 158,883 157,305 162,661 169,341 171,956 : Pct. of Prev. : 103 105 105 106 102 104 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised. Broiler Chicks Placed, 15 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------------- : Oct 10 : Oct 17 : Oct 24 : Oct 31 : Nov 7 : Nov 14 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 18,729 18,247 18,310 17,637 17,627 18,219 AR : 22,862 21,941 23,443 23,193 *22,292 21,562 DE : 4,535 4,517 4,980 4,633 *4,388 4,976 FL : 2,307 2,629 2,574 2,273 2,085 2,412 GA : 23,612 23,464 24,569 *24,417 *23,411 22,559 MD : 5,361 6,334 6,110 6,070 *5,525 5,204 MS : 13,191 13,530 13,871 14,372 13,215 13,750 NC : 11,825 12,074 12,635 12,433 12,496 12,503 PA : 2,346 2,576 2,629 2,570 2,266 2,420 SC : 3,798 3,051 3,871 3,773 5,304 3,752 TX : 9,332 9,344 10,217 9,841 9,457 8,869 VA : 4,914 4,608 5,042 5,070 4,570 4,683 CA, TN, & WV : 7,997 8,872 9,567 9,234 9,845 8,585 : 15 State Total: 130,809 131,187 137,818 *135,516 *132,481 129,494 : Previous Year : 131,158 130,236 139,492 132,375 126,248 125,414 : Pct. of Prev. : 100 101 99 102 105 103 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised.