Pou 2-2 (5-03) Broiler Hatchery National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released May 7, 2003, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on "Broiler Hatchery" call Jody Roberts at (202) 690-8632, office hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. Broiler Eggs Set In 19 Selected States Down 1 Percent Commercial hatcheries in the 19-State weekly program set 209 million eggs in incubators during the week ending May 3, 2003. This was down 1 percent from the eggs set the corresponding week a year earlier. Average hatchability for chicks hatched during the week was 83 percent. Average hatchability is calculated by dividing chicks hatched during the week by eggs set three weeks earlier. Broiler Chicks Placed Down 1 Percent Broiler growers in the 19-State weekly program placed 171 million chicks for meat production during the week ending May 3, 2003. Placements were down 1 percent from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from December 29, 2002 through May 3, 2003 were 3.00 billion, down 2 percent from the same period a year earlier. * * * * * * * * The next "Broiler Hatchery" report will be released at 3 p.m. ET on May 14, 2003. 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, 19 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Mar 29 : Apr 5 : Apr 12 : Apr 19 : Apr 26 : May 3 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 28,110 28,714 *28,893 28,250 28,719 28,660 AR : 29,511 30,672 30,527 30,670 30,900 30,946 DE : 3,633 3,859 3,753 4,007 3,634 3,699 FL : 1,597 1,687 *1,581 1,602 1,731 1,643 GA : 31,200 32,083 *32,157 31,700 31,795 31,864 KY : 5,961 *6,896 *6,130 *6,318 *6,693 6,707 MD : 9,516 10,050 10,069 9,924 9,613 9,555 MS : 19,116 19,229 19,231 19,037 18,575 19,109 NC : 19,163 19,180 *18,923 19,253 19,275 18,815 OK : 6,219 6,620 6,458 6,513 6,511 6,498 PA : 3,996 4,010 3,929 *3,653 *3,639 3,795 SC : 4,983 4,911 4,958 4,578 4,771 4,858 TX : 14,756 14,990 15,153 15,220 15,012 15,045 VA : 6,714 6,521 6,502 6,692 6,628 6,626 CA, MO, LA, TN, & WV: 20,693 20,821 20,867 20,405 *21,018 20,804 : 19 State Total : 205,168 *210,243 *209,131 *207,822 *208,514 208,624 : Previous Year Total : 207,957 212,708 211,681 211,242 210,178 209,812 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 99 99 99 98 99 99 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised Broiler Chicks Placed, 19 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Mar 29 : Apr 5 : Apr 12 : Apr 19 : Apr 26 : May 3 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 21,078 21,442 21,439 21,366 21,554 21,936 AR : 24,592 23,750 23,255 24,054 25,096 25,120 DE : 5,270 5,258 4,973 5,266 5,899 5,681 FL : 1,632 1,608 1,892 1,638 1,634 1,651 GA : 25,472 25,057 25,162 24,127 *25,828 26,407 KY : 5,171 5,324 5,945 5,717 *6,053 5,138 MD : 6,258 6,592 6,341 5,945 5,600 5,878 MS : 16,390 16,209 16,425 16,572 16,549 16,217 NC : 15,134 14,897 15,268 15,033 14,780 15,050 OK : 4,357 4,850 5,474 4,389 4,424 4,181 PA : 2,713 2,655 2,565 *2,679 *2,602 2,707 SC : 4,020 4,201 3,498 4,088 4,206 3,380 TX : 12,265 12,194 11,888 12,314 12,405 12,583 VA : 5,407 5,358 5,149 5,506 5,986 5,849 CA, MO, LA, TN, & WV: 19,566 18,468 19,508 18,310 *18,417 19,717 : 19 State Total : 169,325 167,863 168,782 *167,004 *171,033 171,495 : Previous Year Total : 170,726 168,672 169,829 168,903 172,792 172,635 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 99 100 99 99 99 99 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised