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 25, 2020 Media Contact: Anthony Prillaman Broiler-Type Eggs Set in the United States Up 3 Percent Hatcheries in the United States weekly program set 238 million eggs in incubators during the week ending March 21, 2020, up 3 percent from a year ago. Average hatchability for chicks hatched during the week in the United States was 81.2 percent. Average hatchability is calculated by dividing chicks hatched during the week by eggs set three weeks earlier. Hatcheries in Alabama set 33.3 million eggs during the week ending March 21, 2020, up 10 percent from a year ago. Hatcheries in Georgia set 35.1 million eggs during the same week, up 3 percent from a year ago. Broiler-Type Chicks Placed in the United States Up 4 Percent Broiler growers in the United States weekly program placed 192 million chicks for meat production during the week ending March 21, 2020, up 4 percent from a year ago. Cumulative placements from the week ending January 4, 2020 through March 21, 2020 for the United States were 2.29 billion. Cumulative placements were up 4 percent from the same period a year earlier. Broiler growers in Alabama placed 24.9 million chicks for meat production during the week ending March 21, 2020, up 17 percent from a year ago. Placements in Georgia totaled 28.3 million chicks, up 2 percent from a year ago. Broiler-Type Eggs Set Selected States and United States: 2020 State February 15, 2020 February 22, 2020 February 29, 2020 Week ending March 7, 2020 (1,000 eggs) (1,000 eggs) (1,000 eggs) (1,000 eggs) Alabama ............. Florida ................ Georgia .............. South Carolina.... 33,827 1,193 35,129 5,888 33,887 1,191 35,004 5,513 34,075 1,209 35,334 5,809 34,066 1,225 35,324 5,643 March 14, 2020 (1,000 eggs) 34,216 1,207 34,849 5,751 United States ...... 237,916 239,402 241,092 239,121 Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Broiler Hatchery, March 25, 2020 240,184 March 21, 2020 (1,000 eggs) 33,305 1,194 35,082 5,812 238,229 Percent of previous year (percent) 110 100 103 96 103 Broiler-Type Chicks Placed Selected States and United States: 2020 State February 15, 2020 February 22, 2020 February 29, 2020 Week ending March 7, 2020 March 14, 2020 (1,000 chicks) (1,000 chicks) (1,000 chicks) (1,000 chicks) (1,000 chicks) Alabama ............. Florida ................ Georgia .............. South Carolina.... 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 24,988 1,225 27,064 5,265 United States ...... 191,781 190,272 190,863 189,882 Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Broiler Hatchery, March 25, 2020 191,056 March 21, 2020 (1,000 chicks) 24,863 1,325 28,341 4,556 191,919 Percent of previous year (percent) 117 100 102 93 104 USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Broiler-Type Eggs Set Selected States and United States: 2020 State February 15, 2020 February 22, 2020 Week ending February 29, 2020 March 7, 2020 (1,000 eggs) (1,000 eggs) (1,000 eggs) (1,000 eggs) Alabama ............................................. Arkansas ............................................. Delaware ............................................ Florida ................................................. Georgia ............................................... Kentucky ............................................. Louisiana ............................................ Maryland ............................................. Mississippi .......................................... Missouri .............................................. 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 7,970 17,915 8,849 34,075 24,141 5,430 1,209 35,334 7,873 3,744 8,495 18,354 8,890 34,066 24,285 5,063 1,225 35,324 7,111 3,850 8,503 18,213 9,096 North Carolina ..................................... Oklahoma ........................................... Pennsylvania ...................................... South Carolina .................................... Texas .................................................. Virginia ................................................ California, Tennessee, and West Virginia .............................. 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 24,983 7,357 6,023 5,643 17,245 6,498 12,915 Other States ........................................ 11,104 11,138 11,540 11,721 United States ...................................... Percent of previous year ..................... 237,916 103 239,402 103 241,092 104 Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Broiler Hatchery, March 25, 2020 239,121 103 March 14, 2020 (1,000 eggs) 34,216 23,858 5,306 1,207 34,849 7,760 3,879 8,486 18,082 8,809 25,292 7,692 6,084 5,751 17,706 6,485 12,734 11,988 240,184 103 March 21, 2020 (1,000 eggs) 33,305 24,254 5,319 1,194 35,082 7,829 3,139 8,503 18,162 8,952 25,004 7,196 5,856 5,812 17,868 6,485 12,720 11,549 238,229 103 Broiler-Type Chicks Placed Selected States and United States: 2020 State 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) Alabama ............................................. Arkansas ............................................. Delaware ............................................ Florida ................................................. Georgia ............................................... Kentucky ............................................. Louisiana ............................................ Maryland ............................................. Mississippi .......................................... Missouri .............................................. 24,750 20,203 4,534 1,281 28,702 6,233 3,327 6,306 15,255 6,424 25,635 22,190 6,108 1,316 25,984 6,612 3,357 5,024 14,984 5,800 24,510 22,396 5,574 1,349 27,625 6,435 3,281 4,683 15,127 5,596 24,465 22,025 4,854 1,314 27,638 6,555 3,297 5,761 15,513 5,989 March 14, 2020 (1,000 chicks) 24,988 21,417 4,939 1,225 27,064 6,073 3,269 5,051 14,888 5,935 March 21, 2020 (1,000 chicks) 24,863 22,025 5,241 1,325 28,341 6,187 3,234 5,900 15,254 5,655 North Carolina ..................................... Oklahoma ........................................... Pennsylvania ...................................... South Carolina .................................... Texas .................................................. Virginia ................................................ California, Tennessee, and West Virginia .............................. 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 6,514 11,432 20,355 4,070 4,172 4,644 13,202 6,331 11,093 20,003 5,161 4,468 5,265 14,120 6,582 11,536 20,545 4,092 4,441 4,556 14,071 5,651 11,410 Other States ........................................ 8,172 8,348 8,546 8,604 9,072 9,128 United States ...................................... Percent of previous year ..................... 191,781 104 190,272 103 190,863 104 Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Broiler Hatchery, March 25, 2020 189,882 103 191,056 103 191,919 104