Pou 2-2 (10-03) Broiler Hatchery National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released October 22, 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 2 Percent Commercial hatcheries in the 19-State weekly program set 190 million eggs in incubators during the week ending October 18, 2003. This was up 2 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 3 Percent Broiler growers in the 19-State weekly program placed 160 million chicks for meat production during the week ending October 18, 2003. Placements were up 3 percent from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from December 29, 2002 through October 18, 2003 were 7.03 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 29, 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 :----------------------------------------------------------- : Sep 13 : Sep 20 : Sep 27 : Oct 4 : Oct 11 : Oct 18 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 27,575 27,015 27,391 28,070 28,048 28,283 AR : 29,368 30,458 30,013 28,806 29,386 28,862 DE : 3,561 3,327 3,479 3,670 3,529 3,531 FL : 1,329 1,345 1,369 1,369 1,359 1,365 GA : *30,812 *30,879 *30,187 30,671 32,016 29,461 KY : 5,592 *6,047 *6,576 6,079 6,626 5,369 LA : 3,616 3,847 3,891 3,861 3,758 3,782 MD : 8,371 8,118 8,411 7,842 8,502 8,005 MS : 18,024 17,624 17,357 17,139 17,910 16,983 NC : 16,184 15,614 *17,546 15,901 15,940 16,677 OK : 6,553 6,356 5,651 6,056 5,864 6,063 PA : 3,557 3,343 3,491 *3,679 3,416 3,446 SC : 4,539 4,482 4,417 4,578 4,080 3,907 TX : 13,997 13,016 14,357 14,279 14,217 12,863 VA : 6,108 6,072 6,391 5,713 6,360 6,378 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 15,808 *15,723 *15,327 15,306 *15,340 15,223 : 19 State Total :*194,994 *193,266 *195,854 *193,019 *196,351 190,198 : Previous Year Total : 191,797 189,744 191,851 193,083 192,080 185,654 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 102 102 102 100 102 102 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised Broiler Chicks Placed, 19 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Sep 13 : Sep 20 : Sep 27 : Oct 4 : Oct 11 : Oct 18 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 21,482 21,970 21,676 20,614 20,421 20,653 AR : 25,581 24,721 24,992 22,702 23,157 23,749 DE : 5,784 4,644 4,831 4,439 4,553 4,189 FL : 1,894 1,586 1,651 *1,605 1,609 1,586 GA : 25,959 25,369 24,677 *24,145 *24,366 24,226 KY : 5,885 5,475 5,273 4,933 *5,553 5,518 LA : 3,740 3,292 3,704 3,600 3,704 3,896 MD : 5,293 6,614 5,378 5,563 5,232 6,308 MS : 16,168 15,577 15,904 15,221 14,673 14,715 NC : 13,977 13,226 13,000 13,156 12,575 13,790 OK : 4,406 4,273 4,574 5,390 5,769 4,196 PA : 2,702 2,706 2,691 *2,635 2,548 2,519 SC : 4,204 4,607 3,827 4,265 4,188 3,685 TX : 12,080 12,165 12,193 11,670 10,809 11,954 VA : 5,450 4,979 5,231 4,696 4,696 5,069 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 14,414 13,960 13,521 14,566 *14,046 14,131 : 19 State Total : 169,019 165,164 163,123 *159,200 *157,899 160,184 : Previous Year Total : 166,340 165,465 165,235 155,770 154,082 155,782 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 102 100 99 102 102 103 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised