Pou 2-2 (3-04) Broiler Hatchery National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released March 31, 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 3 Percent Commercial hatcheries in the 19-State weekly program set 211 million eggs in incubators during the week ending March 27, 2004. 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 2 Percent Broiler growers in the 19-State weekly program placed 172 million chicks for meat production during the week ending March 27, 2004. Placements were up 2 percent from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from December 28, 2003 through March 27, 2004 were 2.19 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 April 7, 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 21 : Feb 28 : Mar 6 : Mar 13 : Mar 20 : Mar 27 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 29,778 30,151 *30,113 30,433 29,537 29,773 AR : 31,033 30,948 31,160 31,225 31,636 31,331 DE : 3,846 3,946 3,818 3,199 3,611 3,834 FL : 1,363 1,344 1,359 1,334 1,349 1,337 GA : *33,439 *33,414 32,686 32,896 32,201 32,685 KY : 7,118 7,050 7,047 7,099 6,685 7,176 LA : 3,812 3,831 3,787 3,742 3,742 3,787 MD : 8,846 8,854 8,861 8,826 8,923 8,875 MS : 19,179 19,061 19,219 19,173 19,113 19,179 NC : 18,641 18,659 *18,484 18,986 19,195 18,611 OK : 6,519 6,430 6,516 *6,442 *6,568 6,585 PA : 3,693 3,805 3,877 *3,997 *4,028 4,007 SC : 3,767 3,810 3,781 3,836 3,694 3,781 TX : 15,012 15,097 15,078 15,101 15,109 15,397 VA : 6,417 6,520 6,544 6,606 *6,734 6,834 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 17,381 17,956 17,877 17,719 *17,829 17,763 : 19 State Total :*209,844 *210,876 *210,207 *210,614 *209,954 210,955 : Previous Year Total : 204,584 206,547 207,539 204,958 206,460 205,168 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 103 102 101 103 102 103 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised Broiler Chicks Placed, 19 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Feb 21 : Feb 28 : Mar 6 : Mar 13 : Mar 20 : Mar 27 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 20,929 21,906 21,665 21,822 22,282 21,895 AR : 24,532 24,911 *25,837 *25,314 *24,832 24,554 DE : 5,126 4,512 4,145 4,799 5,372 4,928 FL : *1,980 1,449 *1,718 1,791 1,622 1,492 GA : 25,969 26,370 26,205 26,331 26,106 25,892 KY : 5,579 6,184 5,716 5,957 5,632 5,680 LA : 3,489 3,448 3,522 3,605 3,957 3,870 MD : 5,302 5,815 6,312 5,633 5,099 5,890 MS : 16,524 16,379 16,485 16,503 16,208 16,428 NC : 14,067 14,229 14,409 15,067 14,689 14,615 OK : 4,369 4,842 4,087 *5,038 5,545 5,278 PA : 2,502 2,638 2,668 *2,622 *2,778 2,884 SC : 4,154 3,795 3,980 3,721 4,097 4,714 TX : 12,230 12,125 12,320 12,354 12,428 12,438 VA : 4,925 4,890 5,093 4,992 *5,685 5,606 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 15,713 14,826 15,076 15,054 *15,308 16,276 : 19 State Total :*167,390 168,319 *169,238 *170,603 *171,640 172,440 : Previous Year Total : 164,469 163,548 165,230 167,239 169,125 169,325 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 102 103 102 102 101 102 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised