Pou 2-2 (3-04) Broiler Hatchery National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released March 17, 2004, 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 210 million eggs in incubators during the week ending March 13, 2004. 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 170 million chicks for meat production during the week ending March 13, 2004. Placements were up 2 percent from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from December 28, 2003 through March 13, 2004 were 1.85 billion, up 2 percent from the same period a year earlier. * * * * * * * * The next "Broiler Hatchery" report will be released at 3 p.m. ET on March 24, 2004. 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 :----------------------------------------------------------- : Feb 7 : Feb 14 : Feb 21 : Feb 28 : Mar 6 : Mar 13 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 29,171 29,598 29,778 30,416 30,426 29,851 AR : 30,374 31,055 31,033 30,948 31,160 31,225 DE : 3,721 3,703 2,976 3,091 3,085 3,199 FL : 1,364 1,354 1,363 1,359 1,359 1,334 GA : 33,308 33,138 33,334 33,352 32,686 32,896 KY : *7,019 *6,998 7,034 6,945 *7,047 7,099 LA : 3,673 3,774 3,812 3,831 3,787 3,742 MD : 8,570 8,930 8,846 8,854 8,861 8,826 MS : 19,049 19,229 19,179 19,061 19,219 19,172 NC : *18,202 18,395 *18,641 18,615 18,437 18,986 OK : 6,338 6,357 6,519 6,430 6,516 6,506 PA : 3,722 3,611 3,693 *3,805 *3,845 3,773 SC : 3,638 3,488 3,767 3,810 3,781 3,836 TX : *14,808 *15,039 *15,012 *15,097 *15,078 15,101 VA : 6,363 6,308 6,417 6,520 6,544 6,606 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 17,322 17,191 17,379 17,891 17,791 17,868 : 19 State Total :*206,642 *208,168 *208,783 *210,025 *209,622 210,020 : Previous Year Total : 202,772 202,449 204,584 206,547 207,539 204,958 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 102 103 102 102 101 102 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised Broiler Chicks Placed, 19 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Feb 7 : Feb 14 : Feb 21 : Feb 28 : Mar 6 : Mar 13 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 21,502 21,695 20,929 21,906 21,665 21,762 AR : 24,701 24,306 24,458 24,831 25,759 25,228 DE : 4,730 4,183 5,126 4,512 4,145 4,799 FL : 1,859 1,689 1,956 1,425 1,695 1,711 GA : 25,821 25,613 25,969 26,370 26,205 26,331 KY : *5,589 *4,551 *5,648 *6,196 *5,717 5,891 LA : 3,702 3,532 3,489 3,448 3,522 3,605 MD : 5,657 6,394 5,302 5,815 6,312 5,633 MS : 16,598 16,309 16,524 16,379 16,404 16,421 NC : 14,056 14,246 14,067 14,229 14,409 15,067 OK : 4,902 4,916 4,369 4,842 4,087 5,037 PA : 2,646 2,676 2,502 *2,634 *2,771 2,713 SC : 4,162 4,154 4,154 3,795 3,980 3,721 TX : *12,183 *12,191 *12,230 *12,125 *12,320 12,354 VA : 5,634 5,099 4,925 4,890 5,093 4,992 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 15,195 15,326 15,019 14,940 15,225 15,197 : 19 State Total :*168,937 *166,880 *166,667 *168,337 *169,309 170,462 : Previous Year Total : 164,887 165,871 164,469 163,548 165,230 167,239 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 102 101 101 103 102 102 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised