Pou 2-2 (9-03) Broiler Hatchery National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released September 24, 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 Up 3 Percent Commercial hatcheries in the 19-State weekly program set 195 million eggs in incubators during the week ending September 20, 2003. This was up 3 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 Up Slightly Broiler growers in the 19-State weekly program placed 166 million chicks for meat production during the week ending September 20, 2003. Placements were up slightly from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from December 29, 2002 through September 20, 2003 were 6.39 billion, down 1 percent from the same period a year earlier. * * * * * * * * The next "Broiler Hatchery" report will be released at 3 p.m. ET on October 1, 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 :----------------------------------------------------------- : Aug 16 : Aug 23 : Aug 30 : Sep 6 : Sep 13 : Sep 20 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 29,323 29,056 *29,180 29,240 27,938 27,565 AR : 30,529 30,884 30,223 30,875 29,368 30,458 DE : 3,948 4,057 3,837 3,792 3,561 3,327 FL : 1,354 1,354 1,353 1,357 1,329 1,345 GA : *32,221 32,556 *32,608 30,946 31,287 30,901 KY : 6,890 6,760 *6,944 6,325 5,625 6,551 LA : 3,861 3,845 3,878 3,923 3,771 3,847 MD : 9,249 9,420 9,293 8,869 8,371 8,118 MS : 19,187 18,882 18,327 18,686 18,024 17,534 NC : 17,274 17,063 *16,644 16,305 16,229 15,632 OK : 5,979 6,061 6,349 6,338 *6,553 6,356 PA : 3,607 3,697 3,568 *3,658 3,517 3,454 SC : 4,535 4,375 4,635 4,681 4,551 4,482 TX : 14,412 14,479 14,508 14,647 14,002 13,021 VA : 6,432 6,411 6,333 6,024 6,108 6,072 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 16,485 16,909 15,739 14,739 *15,809 16,070 : 19 State Total :*205,286 205,809 *203,419 *200,405 *196,043 194,733 : Previous Year Total : 206,097 204,776 204,042 203,517 191,797 189,744 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 100 101 100 98 102 103 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised Broiler Chicks Placed, 19 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Aug 16 : Aug 23 : Aug 30 : Sep 6 : Sep 13 : Sep 20 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 21,844 22,084 21,871 22,012 21,482 21,970 AR : 23,866 24,485 25,015 24,254 *25,581 24,721 DE : 5,024 4,741 5,302 5,213 5,784 4,644 FL : 1,654 1,727 1,722 1,831 2,056 1,691 GA : 26,217 *25,331 26,162 25,074 25,937 25,471 KY : 6,107 6,072 5,810 5,848 5,850 5,857 LA : 3,866 3,401 3,601 3,545 3,740 3,451 MD : 6,344 6,508 5,718 5,287 5,293 6,614 MS : 16,292 16,415 16,247 16,396 16,168 15,577 NC : 14,072 14,217 13,924 14,098 13,977 13,226 OK : 5,401 4,325 4,297 4,346 4,406 4,273 PA : 2,824 2,729 2,741 *2,741 2,817 2,677 SC : 4,145 4,213 4,009 4,203 4,178 4,583 TX : 12,222 11,961 11,959 11,891 12,079 12,164 VA : 5,108 5,190 5,071 5,927 5,450 4,979 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 14,078 15,201 15,126 14,782 *14,440 13,674 : 19 State Total : 169,064 *168,600 168,575 *167,448 *169,238 165,572 : Previous Year Total : 168,271 168,773 166,470 167,094 166,340 165,465 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 100 100 101 100 102 100 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised