Pou 2-2 (3-04) Broiler Hatchery National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released March 24, 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 20, 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 1 Percent Broiler growers in the 19-State weekly program placed 171 million chicks for meat production during the week ending March 20, 2004. Placements were up 1 percent from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from December 28, 2003 through March 20, 2004 were 2.02 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 31, 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 14 : Feb 21 : Feb 28 : Mar 6 : Mar 13 : Mar 20 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 29,598 29,778 *30,151 30,426 *30,433 29,537 AR : 31,055 31,033 30,948 31,160 31,225 31,636 DE : 3,703 *3,846 *3,946 *3,818 3,199 3,611 FL : 1,354 1,363 *1,344 1,359 1,334 1,349 GA : 33,138 33,334 33,352 32,686 32,896 32,201 KY : 6,998 *7,118 *7,050 7,047 7,099 6,685 LA : 3,774 3,812 3,831 3,787 3,742 3,742 MD : 8,930 8,846 8,854 8,861 8,826 8,923 MS : 19,229 19,179 19,061 19,219 *19,173 19,113 NC : 18,395 18,641 *18,659 18,437 18,986 19,195 OK : 6,357 6,519 6,430 6,516 6,506 6,657 PA : 3,611 3,693 3,805 *3,877 *3,798 3,763 SC : 3,488 3,767 3,810 3,781 3,836 3,694 TX : 15,039 15,012 15,097 15,078 15,101 15,109 VA : 6,308 6,417 6,520 6,544 6,606 6,665 CA, MO, TN, & WV : *17,444 *17,381 *17,956 *17,877 *17,719 17,793 : 19 State Total :*208,421 *209,739 *210,814 *210,473 *210,479 209,673 : Previous Year Total : 202,449 204,584 206,547 207,539 204,958 206,460 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 103 103 102 101 103 102 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised Broiler Chicks Placed, 19 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Feb 14 : Feb 21 : Feb 28 : Mar 6 : Mar 13 : Mar 20 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 21,695 20,929 21,906 21,665 *21,822 22,282 AR : *24,386 *24,532 *24,911 25,759 25,228 24,705 DE : 4,183 5,126 4,512 4,145 4,799 5,372 FL : *1,713 1,956 *1,449 1,695 *1,791 1,622 GA : 25,613 25,969 26,370 26,205 26,331 26,106 KY : *4,467 *5,579 *6,184 *5,716 *5,957 5,632 LA : 3,532 3,489 3,448 3,522 3,605 3,957 MD : 6,394 5,302 5,815 6,312 5,633 5,099 MS : 16,309 16,524 16,379 *16,485 *16,503 16,208 NC : 14,246 14,067 14,229 14,409 15,067 14,689 OK : 4,916 4,369 4,842 4,087 5,037 5,545 PA : 2,676 2,502 *2,638 *2,668 *2,629 2,730 SC : 4,154 4,154 3,795 3,980 3,721 4,097 TX : 12,191 12,230 12,125 12,320 12,354 12,428 VA : 5,099 4,925 4,890 5,093 4,992 5,662 CA, MO, TN, & WV : *15,691 *15,713 *14,826 *15,076 *15,054 15,362 : 19 State Total :*167,265 *167,366 *168,319 *169,137 *170,523 171,496 : Previous Year Total : 165,871 164,469 163,548 165,230 167,239 169,125 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 101 102 103 102 102 101 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised