Pou 2-2 (3-08) Broiler Hatchery National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released March 26, 2008, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on "Broiler Hatchery" call Sharyn Lavender at (202) 720-3244, office hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. Broiler-Type Eggs Set In 19 Selected States Up Slightly Commercial hatcheries in the 19-State weekly program set 217 million eggs in incubators during the week ending March 22, 2008. This was up slightly 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 181 million chicks for meat production during the week ending March 22, 2008. Placements were up 3 percent from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from December 30, 2007 through March 22, 2008 were 2.14 billion, up 3 percent from the same period a year earlier. ******** 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-Type Eggs Set, 19 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Feb 16 : Feb 23 : Mar 1 : Mar 8 : Mar 15 : Mar 22 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 31,899 32,024 *31,986 32,195 32,497 32,257 AR : 28,156 28,455 *28,444 28,061 28,100 27,080 DE : 3,999 3,997 3,982 3,969 3,960 3,983 FL : 1,389 1,369 *1,403 1,368 1,369 1,414 GA : 35,318 35,314 35,129 35,088 35,245 34,444 KY : 7,371 *7,926 8,017 7,988 7,744 7,812 LA : 3,924 3,924 3,924 3,924 3,924 3,893 MD : 9,067 8,975 9,138 8,904 9,097 8,833 MS : 18,722 18,907 18,774 18,865 19,031 18,802 NC : 19,970 19,748 *19,953 19,995 *20,134 20,053 OK : 6,487 6,516 6,451 6,508 6,387 6,497 PA : 4,395 3,998 4,179 *4,130 *4,457 4,205 SC : 5,693 5,518 5,800 5,585 *5,765 5,600 TX : 15,806 15,869 *16,182 15,977 15,695 15,541 VA : 6,428 6,443 6,443 6,413 6,080 6,621 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 19,855 20,283 20,030 20,084 19,598 19,756 : 19 State Total : 218,479 *219,266 *219,835 *219,054 *219,083 216,791 : Previous Year Total : 214,750 214,659 216,547 215,392 215,713 215,836 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 102 102 102 102 102 100 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised Broiler Chicks Placed, 19 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Feb 16 : Feb 23 : Mar 1 : Mar 8 : Mar 15 : Mar 22 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 : 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 20,895 20,671 21,620 21,221 21,768 21,580 AR : 23,171 23,908 22,362 24,135 26,128 23,625 DE : 4,397 4,880 5,668 4,939 5,058 5,338 FL : 1,382 1,317 1,302 1,459 1,353 1,305 GA : 29,045 29,334 28,745 29,438 29,305 29,686 KY : 6,563 6,439 6,348 5,505 *6,259 6,169 LA : 3,606 3,835 3,747 3,897 3,655 3,883 MD : 7,291 6,618 5,271 6,403 5,836 5,745 MS : 17,136 17,282 16,945 17,056 17,438 17,307 NC : 16,257 16,404 16,322 16,694 *16,147 16,461 OK : 5,688 5,374 5,575 5,086 3,606 4,613 PA : 3,233 3,344 3,234 *3,315 *3,072 3,236 SC : 4,243 4,306 5,336 3,987 4,646 4,438 TX : 12,890 12,827 12,970 13,296 13,420 13,695 VA : 4,880 4,860 5,142 4,818 5,021 5,128 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 16,864 16,841 16,918 17,866 17,372 18,752 : 19 State Total : 177,541 178,240 177,505 *179,115 *180,084 180,961 : Previous Year Total : 171,611 172,634 173,482 174,818 174,417 175,877 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 103 103 102 102 103 103 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised