Pou 2-2 (12-03) Broiler Hatchery National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released December 17, 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 206 million eggs in incubators during the week ending December 13, 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 2 Percent Broiler growers in the 19-State weekly program placed 167 million chicks for meat production during the week ending December 13, 2003. Placements were up 2 percent from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from December 29, 2002 through December 13, 2003 were 8.31 billion, down slightly from the same period a year earlier. * * * * * * * * The next "Broiler Hatchery" report will be released at 3 p.m. ET on December 23, 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 :----------------------------------------------------------- : Nov 8 : Nov 15 : Nov 22 : Nov 29 : Dec 6 : Dec 13 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 28,438 29,523 *28,630 29,276 29,379 29,560 AR : *29,304 *29,978 29,996 *30,923 *30,571 30,992 DE : 3,906 3,544 3,546 3,785 3,828 3,805 FL : 1,351 1,353 1,352 1,352 1,354 1,354 GA : 31,432 *33,065 31,862 32,964 *31,664 33,269 KY : 6,553 *6,839 *6,884 6,895 6,965 6,768 LA : 3,861 3,886 3,845 3,846 3,832 3,847 MD : 8,891 8,417 8,752 8,753 8,763 8,868 MS : 17,597 18,276 *18,571 19,027 19,237 19,396 NC : 17,872 18,138 *17,986 18,104 16,791 17,881 OK : 5,890 6,400 6,391 6,312 6,358 6,371 PA : *3,586 *3,703 *3,845 *3,841 *3,723 3,627 SC : 4,104 3,749 3,618 3,940 3,794 3,861 TX : 14,787 14,509 14,779 14,854 14,151 13,879 VA : 6,116 6,591 6,622 6,622 6,438 6,349 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 17,319 17,500 *17,313 17,594 *16,822 16,591 : 19 State Total :*201,007 *205,471 *203,992 *208,088 *203,670 206,418 : Previous Year Total : 197,676 199,041 200,518 202,537 199,994 203,251 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 102 103 102 103 102 102 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised Broiler Chicks Placed, 19 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Nov 8 : Nov 15 : Nov 22 : Nov 29 : Dec 6 : Dec 13 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 19,712 20,197 19,326 21,133 21,822 21,878 AR : 23,263 23,335 22,777 23,381 *22,786 23,280 DE : 4,836 4,306 4,901 5,638 4,892 4,689 FL : 1,525 1,664 *1,548 1,809 *1,644 1,420 GA : 23,856 22,525 *23,264 *25,001 *25,137 24,645 KY : 4,893 *5,174 *5,219 *5,051 *5,432 5,849 LA : 3,785 3,417 3,976 3,885 3,868 3,933 MD : 4,490 5,270 5,636 5,188 5,299 5,942 MS : 14,254 15,291 14,292 15,146 15,738 15,804 NC : 13,270 14,247 13,844 14,175 14,550 14,383 OK : 5,143 4,374 4,255 4,476 5,858 5,512 PA : *2,301 *2,421 *2,496 *2,674 *2,619 2,771 SC : 3,262 3,342 4,325 4,294 4,273 3,842 TX : 10,645 10,738 11,887 12,276 12,030 12,292 VA : 5,168 5,629 4,953 4,527 5,822 5,285 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 13,435 13,800 13,995 15,256 *16,000 15,255 : 19 State Total :*153,838 *155,730 *156,694 *163,910 *167,770 166,780 : Previous Year Total : 151,790 147,970 154,972 161,690 161,841 163,147 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 101 105 101 101 104 102 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised