Pou 2-2 (12-03) Broiler Hatchery National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released December 23, 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 206 million eggs in incubators during the week ending December 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 3 Percent Broiler growers in the 19-State weekly program placed 170 million chicks for meat production during the week ending December 20, 2003. Placements were up 3 percent from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from December 29, 2002 through December 20, 2003 were 8.48 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 30, 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 15 : Nov 22 : Nov 29 : Dec 6 : Dec 13 : Dec 20 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 29,523 28,630 29,276 29,379 29,560 29,403 AR : 29,978 29,996 30,923 30,571 30,992 30,777 DE : 3,544 3,546 3,785 3,828 3,805 3,777 FL : 1,353 1,352 1,352 1,354 1,354 1,353 GA : *32,982 *32,026 *33,051 31,664 33,269 32,128 KY : 6,839 6,884 6,895 6,965 6,768 6,781 LA : 3,886 3,845 3,846 3,832 3,847 3,784 MD : 8,417 8,752 *8,865 8,763 8,868 8,884 MS : 18,276 18,571 19,027 19,237 19,396 19,182 NC : 18,138 17,986 *18,386 16,791 *18,004 18,046 OK : 6,400 6,391 6,312 6,358 6,371 6,442 PA : 3,703 3,845 3,841 *3,795 *3,624 3,775 SC : 3,749 3,618 3,940 3,794 3,861 3,517 TX : 14,509 14,779 14,854 14,151 13,879 14,882 VA : 6,591 6,622 6,622 6,438 6,349 6,325 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 17,500 17,313 17,594 *16,821 16,591 17,284 : 19 State Total :*205,388 *204,156 *208,569 *203,741 *206,538 206,340 : Previous Year Total : 199,041 200,518 202,537 199,994 203,251 200,056 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 103 102 103 102 102 103 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised Broiler Chicks Placed, 19 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Nov 15 : Nov 22 : Nov 29 : Dec 6 : Dec 13 : Dec 20 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 20,197 19,326 21,133 21,822 21,878 21,938 AR : 23,335 22,777 23,381 22,786 23,280 24,764 DE : 4,306 4,901 *6,159 4,892 4,689 4,857 FL : 1,664 1,548 1,809 1,644 1,420 1,616 GA : 22,525 23,264 *24,971 25,137 *24,688 25,840 KY : 5,174 5,219 5,051 5,432 5,849 5,647 LA : 3,417 3,976 3,885 3,868 3,933 3,554 MD : 5,270 5,636 *5,243 5,299 5,942 6,101 MS : 15,291 14,292 15,146 15,738 15,804 16,228 NC : 14,247 13,844 *14,130 14,550 *14,354 14,608 OK : 4,374 4,255 4,476 5,858 5,512 4,383 PA : 2,421 2,496 2,674 *2,663 *2,669 2,637 SC : 3,342 4,325 4,294 4,273 3,842 4,469 TX : 10,738 11,887 12,276 12,030 12,292 12,356 VA : 5,629 4,953 4,527 5,822 5,285 5,131 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 13,800 13,995 15,256 16,000 *15,254 16,027 : 19 State Total : 155,730 156,694 *164,411 *167,814 *166,691 170,156 : Previous Year Total : 147,970 154,972 161,690 161,841 163,147 164,898 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 105 101 102 104 102 103 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised