Pou 2-2 (11-98) Broiler Hatchery National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released November 25, 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 21, 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 4 Percent Broiler growers in the 15-State weekly program placed 136 million chicks for meat production during the week ending November 21, 1998. Placements were up 4 percent from the comparable week in 1997. Cumulative placements from January 4, 1998, through November 21, 1998 were 6.37 billion, up 1 percent from the same period a year earlier. * * * * * * * * The next "Broiler Hatchery" report will be released at 3 p.m. ET on December 2, 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 17 : Oct 24 : Oct 31 : Nov 7 : Nov 14 : Nov 21 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 24,568 25,032 *25,750 25,521 27,216 26,941 AR : 28,087 27,567 28,319 28,220 29,524 30,053 DE : 4,098 4,068 4,610 4,167 4,182 4,571 FL : 2,461 2,826 2,749 2,696 2,861 2,858 GA : 30,865 28,924 *30,746 31,126 *31,914 31,718 MD : 7,697 7,806 8,442 8,893 8,621 8,686 MS : 16,423 16,593 17,714 16,984 17,933 17,765 NC : 15,659 15,887 *17,257 17,617 17,277 17,668 PA : 3,274 3,200 3,502 3,361 *3,854 3,668 SC : 4,548 4,276 4,553 4,653 4,790 4,794 TX : 12,314 11,932 11,744 12,390 13,062 12,834 VA : 6,172 6,039 6,053 6,233 6,660 6,631 CA, TN, & WV : 11,131 10,517 10,618 11,115 *11,361 11,307 : 15 State Total: 167,297 164,667 *172,057 172,976 *179,255 179,494 : Previous Year : 158,883 157,305 162,661 169,341 171,956 171,807 : Pct. of Prev. : 105 105 106 102 104 104 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised. Broiler Chicks Placed, 15 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------------- : Oct 17 : Oct 24 : Oct 31 : Nov 7 : Nov 14 : Nov 21 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 : 1998 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 18,247 18,310 17,637 17,627 18,219 19,354 AR : 21,941 23,443 23,193 22,292 21,562 21,958 DE : 4,517 4,980 4,633 4,388 4,976 4,656 FL : 2,629 2,574 2,273 2,085 *2,446 2,956 GA : 23,464 24,569 24,417 23,411 *22,562 23,884 MD : 6,334 6,110 6,070 5,525 5,204 6,295 MS : 13,530 13,871 14,372 13,215 13,750 14,489 NC : 12,074 12,635 12,433 12,496 *12,554 13,462 PA : 2,576 2,629 2,570 2,266 *2,380 2,693 SC : 3,051 3,871 3,773 5,304 3,752 3,114 TX : 9,344 10,217 9,841 9,457 8,869 9,107 VA : 4,608 5,042 5,070 4,570 4,683 5,062 CA, TN, & WV : 8,872 9,567 9,234 9,845 *8,583 8,628 : 15 State Total: 131,187 137,818 135,516 132,481 *129,540 135,658 : Previous Year : 130,236 139,492 132,375 126,248 125,414 130,005 : Pct. of Prev. : 101 99 102 105 103 104 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised.