Pou 2-2 (4-04) Broiler Hatchery National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released April 28, 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 213 million eggs in incubators during the week ending April 24, 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 1 Percent Broiler growers in the 19-State weekly program placed 173 million chicks for meat production during the week ending April 24, 2004. Placements were up 1 percent from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from December 28, 2003 through April 24, 2004 were 2.88 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 May 5, 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 :----------------------------------------------------------- : Mar 20 : Mar 27 : Apr 3 : Apr 10 : Apr 17 : Apr 24 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 29,743 30,238 *30,610 30,392 30,883 30,956 AR : 31,636 31,331 31,453 31,786 31,899 31,945 DE : 3,611 3,834 3,738 3,833 *3,648 3,834 FL : 1,349 1,337 1,343 1,339 1,345 1,342 GA : *32,232 *32,645 32,159 *33,220 33,291 33,174 KY : 6,598 7,095 *7,341 *6,723 *7,193 6,898 LA : 3,742 3,787 3,877 3,966 3,981 3,944 MD : 8,923 8,875 8,908 8,882 8,847 8,921 MS : 19,113 19,179 19,459 19,465 19,480 19,371 NC : 19,243 18,746 *19,156 19,277 19,070 18,921 OK : 6,568 6,585 6,526 6,720 *6,793 6,746 PA : 4,028 3,782 3,793 3,884 3,861 3,946 SC : 3,694 3,781 3,392 3,783 3,768 3,748 TX : 15,093 15,382 15,421 15,359 15,346 15,351 VA : 6,734 6,834 6,662 6,668 6,518 6,529 CA, MO, TN, & WV : *17,837 *17,746 *17,673 17,837 *17,861 17,842 : 19 State Total :*210,144 *211,177 *211,511 *213,134 *213,784 213,468 : Previous Year Total : 206,389 205,114 210,077 209,276 208,865 207,999 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 102 103 101 102 102 103 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised Broiler Chicks Placed, 19 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Mar 20 : Mar 27 : Apr 3 : Apr 10 : Apr 17 : Apr 24 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 22,282 21,787 21,846 21,649 21,798 21,935 AR : 24,832 24,554 25,018 25,371 *25,120 24,815 DE : 5,372 4,928 4,750 4,890 *4,959 4,938 FL : 1,622 1,507 1,540 1,494 1,502 1,416 GA : 26,135 25,683 26,963 *25,506 *26,269 26,173 KY : 5,632 5,760 5,801 *5,751 *5,894 5,998 LA : 3,957 3,870 3,778 4,043 3,430 3,793 MD : 5,099 5,890 5,934 5,436 *5,897 5,926 MS : 16,357 16,580 16,617 16,600 16,741 17,368 NC : 14,689 14,615 15,120 15,060 15,076 14,916 OK : 5,545 5,278 5,033 4,236 *5,261 5,650 PA : 2,778 2,856 2,776 2,784 2,626 2,718 SC : 4,097 4,714 4,179 4,526 4,367 4,001 TX : 12,403 12,413 12,504 12,529 12,666 12,844 VA : 5,685 5,606 5,236 5,668 5,236 5,197 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 15,298 16,306 16,069 *16,255 *16,308 15,380 : 19 State Total : 171,783 172,347 173,164 *171,798 *173,150 173,068 : Previous Year Total : 169,357 169,739 167,995 169,177 168,183 172,080 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 101 102 103 102 103 101 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised