United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service Southern Region News Release Broiler Hatchery Cooperating with the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Georgia Department of Agriculture, and South Carolina Department of Agriculture Southern Regional Field Office 355 East Hancock Avenue, Suite 100 Athens, GA 30601 (706) 713-5400 www.nass.usda.gov This report contains the results from the Weekly Broiler Hatchery Survey. Thanks to all who responded. March 18, 2020 Media Contact: Anthony Prillaman Broiler-Type Eggs Set in the United States Up 3 Percent Hatcheries in the United States weekly program set 240 million eggs in incubators during the week ending March 14, 2020, up 3 percent from a year ago. Average hatchability for chicks hatched during the week in the United States was 81.3 percent. Average hatchability is calculated by dividing chicks hatched during the week by eggs set three weeks earlier. Hatcheries in Alabama set 34.2 million eggs during the week ending March 14, 2020, up 14 percent from a year ago. Hatcheries in Georgia set 34.9 million eggs during the same week, down slightly from a year ago. Broiler-Type Chicks Placed in the United States Up 3 Percent Broiler growers in the United States weekly program placed 191 million chicks for meat production during the week ending March 14, 2020, up 3 percent from a year ago. Cumulative placements from the week ending January 4, 2020 through March 14, 2020 for the United States were 2.10 billion. Cumulative placements were up 4 percent from the same period a year earlier. Broiler growers in Alabama placed 25.0 million chicks for meat production during the week ending March 14, 2020, up 14 percent from a year ago. Placements in Georgia totaled 27.1 million chicks, down 1 percent from a year ago. Broiler-Type Eggs Set Selected States and United States: 2020 State February 8, 2020 February 15, 2020 February 22, 2020 Week ending February 29, 2020 (1,000 eggs) (1,000 eggs) (1,000 eggs) (1,000 eggs) Alabama ............. Florida ................ Georgia .............. South Carolina.... 34,263 1,209 35,004 5,802 33,827 1,193 35,129 5,888 33,887 1,191 35,004 5,513 34,075 1,209 35,334 5,809 March 7, 2020 (1,000 eggs) 34,066 1,225 35,324 5,643 United States ...... 239,736 237,916 239,311 241,060 Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Broiler Hatchery, March 18, 2020 239,300 March 14, 2020 (1,000 eggs) 34,216 1,207 34,874 5,748 240,173 Percent of previous year (percent) 114 101 100 97 103 Broiler-Type Chicks Placed Selected States and United States: 2020 State February 8, 2020 February 15, 2020 February 22, 2020 Week ending February 29, 2020 March 7, 2020 (1,000 chicks) (1,000 chicks) (1,000 chicks) (1,000 chicks) (1,000 chicks) Alabama ............. Florida ................ Georgia .............. South Carolina.... 25,402 1,297 27,510 4,542 24,750 1,281 28,702 5,279 25,635 1,316 25,984 5,301 24,510 1,349 27,625 5,263 24,465 1,314 27,638 4,644 United States ...... 189,981 191,781 190,354 190,936 Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Broiler Hatchery, March 18, 2020 189,959 March 14, 2020 (1,000 chicks) 24,988 1,225 27,136 4,823 190,947 Percent of previous year (percent) 114 99 99 115 103 USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Broiler-Type Eggs Set Selected States and United States: 2020 State February 8, 2020 February 15, 2020 Week ending February 22, 2020 February 29, 2020 (1,000 eggs) (1,000 eggs) (1,000 eggs) (1,000 eggs) Alabama ............................................. Arkansas ............................................. Delaware ............................................ Florida ................................................. Georgia ............................................... Kentucky ............................................. Louisiana ............................................ Maryland ............................................. Mississippi .......................................... Missouri .............................................. 34,263 24,356 5,459 1,209 35,004 7,864 3,879 7,758 18,153 8,949 33,827 23,714 5,245 1,193 35,129 7,884 3,835 8,113 18,351 8,660 33,887 24,495 5,223 1,191 35,004 7,870 3,774 7,879 17,915 8,849 34,075 24,141 5,454 1,209 35,334 7,873 3,744 8,439 18,354 8,890 North Carolina ..................................... Oklahoma ........................................... Pennsylvania ...................................... South Carolina .................................... Texas .................................................. Virginia ................................................ California, Tennessee, and West Virginia .............................. 25,078 7,507 5,893 5,802 17,846 6,508 13,315 24,763 7,464 5,741 5,888 17,250 6,512 13,243 25,254 7,923 6,088 5,513 17,681 6,434 13,193 25,138 7,407 6,135 5,809 17,907 6,438 13,173 Other States ........................................ 10,893 11,104 11,138 11,540 United States ...................................... Percent of previous year ..................... 239,736 105 237,916 103 239,311 103 Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Broiler Hatchery, March 18, 2020 241,060 104 March 7, 2020 (1,000 eggs) 34,066 24,285 5,335 1,225 35,324 7,111 3,850 8,455 18,213 9,096 24,982 7,357 5,979 5,643 17,245 6,498 12,915 11,721 239,300 103 March 14, 2020 (1,000 eggs) 34,216 23,858 5,337 1,207 34,874 7,760 3,879 8,464 18,082 8,809 25,233 7,692 6,019 5,748 17,706 6,485 12,842 11,962 240,173 103 Broiler-Type Chicks Placed Selected States and United States: 2020 State February 8, 2020 February 15, 2020 Week ending February 22, 2020 February 29, 2020 (1,000 chicks) (1,000 chicks) (1,000 chicks) (1,000 chicks) Alabama ............................................. Arkansas ............................................. Delaware ............................................ Florida ................................................. Georgia ............................................... Kentucky ............................................. Louisiana ............................................ Maryland ............................................. Mississippi .......................................... Missouri .............................................. 25,402 22,375 4,359 1,297 27,510 6,739 3,229 5,969 14,832 6,098 24,750 20,203 4,534 1,281 28,702 6,233 3,327 6,306 15,255 6,424 25,635 22,190 6,196 1,316 25,984 6,612 3,357 5,018 14,984 5,800 24,510 22,396 5,351 1,349 27,625 6,435 3,281 5,406 15,127 5,596 March 7, 2020 (1,000 chicks) 24,465 22,025 4,881 1,314 27,638 6,555 3,297 5,918 15,513 5,989 March 14, 2020 (1,000 chicks) 24,988 21,416 4,905 1,225 27,136 6,316 3,269 5,347 14,888 5,935 North Carolina ..................................... Oklahoma ........................................... Pennsylvania ...................................... South Carolina .................................... Texas .................................................. Virginia ................................................ California, Tennessee, and West Virginia .............................. 20,004 3,705 4,353 4,542 13,842 6,235 11,174 19,736 5,401 4,427 5,279 14,387 5,851 11,513 20,185 4,321 4,419 5,301 13,643 5,587 11,458 19,854 4,247 4,196 5,263 14,235 6,087 11,432 20,348 4,070 4,174 4,644 13,202 6,231 11,093 20,506 5,161 4,466 4,823 14,122 5,914 11,585 Other States ........................................ 8,316 8,172 8,348 8,546 8,602 8,945 United States ...................................... Percent of previous year ..................... 189,981 104 191,781 104 190,354 103 Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Broiler Hatchery, March 18, 2020 190,936 104 189,959 103 190,947 103