Broiler Hatchery - Release

Broiler Hatchery
ISSN: 1949-1840

Released April 4, 2012, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA).

Broiler-Type Eggs Set Down 5 Percent
Commercial hatcheries in the 19 State weekly program set 198 million eggs in incubators during the week ending
March 31, 2012. This was down 5 percent from the eggs set the corresponding week a year earlier. Average hatchability
for chicks hatched during the week was 85 percent. Average hatchability is calculated by dividing chicks hatched during
the week by eggs set three weeks earlier.

Broiler-Type Chicks Placed Down 5 Percent
Broiler growers in the 19 State weekly program placed 165 million chicks for meat production during the week ending
March 31, 2012. Placements were down 5 percent from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from
January 1, 2012 through March 31, 2012 were 2.11 billion, down 4 percent from the same period a year earlier.

Broiler-Type Eggs Set – 19 Selected States: 2012
Week ending
State

February 25,
2012

March 3,
2012

March 10,
2012

March 17,
2012

March 24,
2012

March 31,
2012

(1,000 eggs)

(1,000 eggs)

(1,000 eggs)

(1,000 eggs)

(1,000 eggs)

(1,000 eggs)

Alabama ............................................
Arkansas ............................................
Delaware ...........................................
Florida ................................................
Georgia ..............................................
Kentucky ............................................
Louisiana ...........................................
Maryland ............................................
Mississippi .........................................
Missouri .............................................

27,970
20,142
3,190
1,353
32,143
6,361
3,379
7,204
17,814
7,654

27,989
20,977
3,191
1,350
32,150
7,733
3,470
7,212
17,799
7,840

27,476
21,148
3,303
1,350
32,374
7,794
3,440
7,674
17,682
7,648

28,259
20,142
3,415
1,351
32,236
7,805
3,470
7,678
17,784
7,482

28,251
20,771
3,388
1,348
31,890
7,538
3,440
7,192
17,907
7,657

27,319
21,178
3,517
1,350
32,796
7,683
3,500
7,000
17,907
7,464

North Carolina ....................................
Oklahoma ..........................................
Pennsylvania .....................................
South Carolina ...................................
Texas .................................................
Virginia ...............................................
California, Tennessee,
and West Virginia .............................

20,313
6,688
3,714
5,296
14,868
6,168

20,397
6,930
3,763
5,291
14,732
5,947

20,342
6,930
3,838
5,472
14,994
6,207

19,957
6,365
3,859
5,118
15,077
6,273

20,031
6,728
3,771
5,448
14,943
6,047

20,077
6,930
3,696
5,385
14,933
6,311

11,002

10,913

11,016

11,303

10,648

10,771

19 State total ......................................

195,259

197,684

198,688

197,574

196,998

197,817

Previous year total .............................

206,633

208,530

207,787

208,563

209,382

208,037

Percent of previous year ....................

94

95

96

95

94

95

Broiler-Type Chicks Placed – 19 Selected States: 2012
Week ending
State

February 25,
2012

March 3,
2012

March 10,
2012

March 17,
2012

March 24,
2012

March 31,
2012

(1,000 chicks)

(1,000 chicks)

(1,000 chicks)

(1,000 chicks)

(1,000 chicks)

(1,000 chicks)

Alabama ............................................
Arkansas ............................................
Delaware ...........................................
Florida ................................................
Georgia ..............................................
Kentucky ............................................
Louisiana ...........................................
Maryland ............................................
Mississippi .........................................
Missouri .............................................

18,833
19,144
3,440
1,073
27,877
5,662
3,092
6,751
15,317
4,612

18,749
19,498
4,117
1,454
27,520
6,562
3,091
5,778
15,599
5,566

19,382
18,611
3,910
1,174
28,332
6,595
3,022
6,441
15,328
6,020

20,106
19,004
3,901
1,407
27,862
4,894
2,983
6,110
15,447
5,325

19,610
20,043
3,943
1,217
27,284
6,594
3,032
5,927
15,207
5,245

20,335
20,359
3,724
1,016
27,233
6,214
3,025
7,020
15,136
5,548

North Carolina ....................................
Oklahoma ..........................................
Pennsylvania .....................................
South Carolina ...................................
Texas .................................................
Virginia ...............................................
California, Tennessee,
and West Virginia .............................

15,820
5,026
3,045
4,197
11,972
4,547

15,856
4,125
2,894
4,523
12,466
5,368

15,816
4,014
2,870
4,230
12,321
4,739

16,753
4,605
3,117
3,646
12,197
4,784

16,294
4,533
3,113
4,696
12,117
5,365

16,080
3,813
3,230
4,218
12,501
4,735

10,139

10,181

9,900

10,826

10,257

10,658

19 State total ......................................

160,547

163,347

162,705

162,967

164,477

164,845

Previous year total .............................

168,805

167,792

170,434

170,587

173,852

172,812

Percent of previous year ....................

95

97

95

96

95

95

2

Broiler Hatchery (April 2012)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

Statistical Methodology
Survey Procedures: Data for broiler hatchery estimates are collected weekly from all chicken hatcheries within the
19 States that hatch at least one million chicks a year. The 19 States account for approximately 97 percent of the broilers
produced on an annual basis. Individual NASS field offices maintain a list of all known hatcheries and update their lists
on a continual basis. All hatcheries within the 19 States that meet the minimum size criteria are given adequate time to
respond to the weekly survey. Those that do not respond are contacted by telephone.
Estimating Procedures: All data are analyzed for unusual values. Data from each operation are compared to their own
past operating profile and to trends from similar operations. Data for missing operations are estimated based on similar
operations or historical data. NASS field offices prepare these estimates by using a combination of survey indications and
historic trends. Individual State estimates are reviewed by the Agricultural Statistics Board for reasonableness. Individual
hatchery data are summed to State and 19 State totals.
Revision Policy: Revisions are generally the result of late or corrected data. Revisions made to the previous five-week’s
data during the current week are published in this report. Final estimates are published in the annual Hatchery Production
Summary released in April.
Reliability: Estimates are subject to errors such as omission, duplication, and mistakes in reporting, recording, and
processing the data. While these errors cannot be measured directly, they are minimized through strict quality controls in
the data collection process and a careful review of all reported data for consistency and reasonableness.

Information Contacts
Listed below are the commodity specialists in the Livestock Branch of the National Agricultural Statistics Service to
contact for additional information. E-mail inquiries may be sent to nass@nass.usda.gov
Dan Kerestes, Chief, Livestock Branch .......................................................................................................... (202) 720-3570
Bruce Boess, Head, Poultry and Specialty Commodities Section .................................................................. (202) 720-4447
Cody Brokmeyer – Poultry Slaughter, Turkey Hatchery, Turkeys Raised .............................................. (202) 690-3237
David Colwell – Cold Storage .................................................................................................................. (202) 720-8784
LaKeya Jones – Catfish Processing, Catfish Production, Trout Production,
Census of Aquaculture, Honey, Egg Products, Mink ......................................................................... (202) 720-0585
Kim Linonis – Layers, Eggs ..................................................................................................................... (202) 690-8632
Miste Salmon – Broiler Hatchery, Chicken Hatchery .............................................................................. (202) 720-3244

Broiler Hatchery (April 2012)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

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