Broiler Hatchery National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released March 24, 1999, 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 182 million eggs during the week ending March 20, 1999. This was up 4 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 2 Percent Broiler growers in the 15-State weekly program placed 146 million chicks for meat production during the week ending March 20, 1999. Placements were up 2 percent from the comparable week in 1998. Cumulative placements from January 3, 1999 through March 20, 1999 were 1.57 billion, up 4 percent from the same period a year ago. * * * * * * * * The next "Broiler Hatchery" report will be released at 3 p.m. ET on March 31, 1999. 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 (3-99) Broiler Eggs Set, 15 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------------- : Feb 13 : Feb 20 : Feb 27 : Mar 6 : Mar 13 : Mar 20 : 1999 : 1999 : 1999 : 1999 : 1999 : 1999 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 26,915 *26,364 *26,662 *27,283 *27,484 26,936 AR : 30,504 *30,660 30,703 30,692 30,587 29,577 DE : 4,576 4,687 4,802 4,722 4,783 4,761 FL : 2,981 2,947 2,920 3,025 *2,985 2,941 GA : 31,793 31,886 31,458 32,000 *31,645 31,501 MD : 8,936 8,865 8,998 8,999 8,905 8,991 MS : 18,083 17,899 17,666 18,267 18,283 18,237 NC : 17,715 17,894 17,847 18,420 18,151 18,392 PA : 3,591 3,857 3,913 3,797 *3,741 3,816 SC : 4,650 4,708 *4,795 4,787 *4,859 4,834 TX : 13,308 13,478 13,480 13,486 *13,708 13,653 VA : 6,663 6,659 6,673 6,849 6,610 6,618 CA, TN, & WV : 10,827 11,767 11,545 11,277 11,804 11,464 : 15 State Total: 180,542 *181,671 *181,462 *183,604 *183,545 181,721 : Previous Year : 174,355 174,508 176,161 175,704 175,385 174,274 : Pct. of Prev. : 104 104 103 104 105 104 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised. Broiler Chicks Placed, 15 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------------- : Feb 13 : Feb 20 : Feb 27 : Mar 6 : Mar 13 : Mar 20 : 1999 : 1999 : 1999 : 1999 : 1999 : 1999 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 19,125 *20,094 19,427 *20,219 *19,490 20,025 AR : 24,369 24,676 23,715 24,205 *25,312 25,045 DE : 5,555 5,092 4,881 5,517 5,259 5,113 FL : 2,215 2,338 2,460 2,604 *2,394 2,617 GA : 24,344 24,726 25,284 24,804 *25,573 25,217 MD : 4,987 5,903 5,890 5,848 *5,990 6,486 MS : 14,090 14,668 15,150 15,111 15,186 14,821 NC : 13,558 13,616 13,830 13,890 13,905 13,709 PA : 2,698 2,594 2,589 2,614 *2,829 2,880 SC : 3,207 3,856 *3,888 4,177 *4,289 4,206 TX : 10,128 10,032 10,241 10,383 10,384 10,399 VA : 5,205 5,092 5,879 5,369 5,614 5,633 CA, TN, & WV : 10,150 9,036 9,502 9,239 *10,420 9,443 : 15 State Total: 139,631 *141,723 *142,736 *143,980 *146,645 145,594 : Previous Year : 136,804 134,827 137,647 140,209 139,125 142,823 : Pct. of Prev. : 102 105 104 103 105 102 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised.