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. April 1, 2020 Media Contact: Anthony Prillaman Broiler-Type Eggs Set in the United States Up 3 Percent Hatcheries in the United States weekly program set 239 million eggs in incubators during the week ending March 28, 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 34.0 million eggs during the week ending March 28, 2020, up 12 percent from a year ago. Hatcheries in Georgia set 35.3 million eggs during the same week, up 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 28, 2020, up 3 percent from a year ago. Cumulative placements from the week ending January 4, 2020 through March 28, 2020 for the United States were 2.48 billion. Cumulative placements were up 4 percent from the same period a year earlier. Broiler growers in Alabama placed 25.6 million chicks for meat production during the week ending March 28, 2020, up 13 percent from a year ago. Placements in Georgia totaled 26.6 million chicks, down 2 percent from a year ago. Broiler-Type Eggs Set Selected States and United States: 2020 State February 22, 2020 February 29, 2020 March 7, 2020 Week ending March 14, 2020 (1,000 eggs) (1,000 eggs) (1,000 eggs) (1,000 eggs) Alabama .............. Florida ................. Georgia ............... South Carolina .... 33,887 1,191 35,004 5,513 34,075 1,209 35,334 5,809 34,066 1,225 35,323 5,643 34,216 1,207 34,849 5,751 United States ...... 239,402 241,143 239,526 240,184 Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Broiler Hatchery, April 1, 2020 March 21, 2020 (1,000 eggs) 33,290 1,194 35,080 5,804 238,844 March 28, 2020 (1,000 eggs) 34,043 1,177 35,250 5,834 239,462 Percent of previous year (percent) 112 99 100 101 103 Broiler-Type Chicks Placed Selected States and United States: 2020 State February 22, 2020 February 29, 2020 March 7, 2020 Week ending March 14, 2020 March 21, 2020 (1,000 chicks) (1,000 chicks) (1,000 chicks) (1,000 chicks) (1,000 chicks) Alabama .............. Florida ................. Georgia ............... South Carolina .... 25,635 1,316 25,987 5,301 24,510 1,349 27,625 5,263 24,465 1,314 27,638 4,644 24,988 1,225 27,068 5,265 24,923 1,325 28,120 4,441 United States ...... 190,275 190,863 189,882 191,060 Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Broiler Hatchery, April 1, 2020 191,626 March 28, 2020 (1,000 chicks) 25,585 1,335 26,602 4,881 190,915 Percent of previous year (percent) 113 101 98 94 103 USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Broiler-Type Eggs Set Selected States and United States: 2020 State February 22, 2020 February 29, 2020 Week ending March 7, 2020 March 14, 2020 (1,000 eggs) (1,000 eggs) (1,000 eggs) (1,000 eggs) Alabama ................................................ Arkansas ............................................... Delaware ............................................... Florida .................................................... Georgia .................................................. Kentucky ................................................ Louisiana ............................................... Maryland ................................................ Mississippi ............................................. Missouri ................................................. 33,887 24,495 5,223 1,191 35,004 7,870 3,774 7,970 17,915 8,849 34,075 24,192 5,430 1,209 35,334 7,873 3,744 8,495 18,354 8,890 34,066 24,285 5,063 1,225 35,323 7,111 3,850 8,503 18,257 9,096 34,216 23,858 5,306 1,207 34,849 7,760 3,879 8,486 18,082 8,809 North Carolina ....................................... Oklahoma .............................................. Pennsylvania ......................................... South Carolina ...................................... Texas ..................................................... Virginia .................................................. California, Tennessee, and West Virginia ............................... 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 24,981 7,882 6,023 5,643 17,084 6,498 12,915 25,292 7,692 6,084 5,751 17,706 6,485 12,734 Other States .......................................... 11,138 11,540 11,721 11,988 United States ........................................ Percent of previous year ...................... 239,402 103 241,143 104 239,526 103 Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Broiler Hatchery, April 1, 2020 240,184 103 March 21, 2020 (1,000 eggs) 33,290 24,368 5,319 1,194 35,080 7,749 3,865 8,171 18,260 8,952 25,015 7,196 5,916 5,804 17,915 6,485 12,760 11,505 238,844 104 March 28, 2020 (1,000 eggs) 34,043 23,392 5,256 1,177 35,250 7,497 3,802 8,198 18,260 9,003 24,724 7,820 6,159 5,834 18,014 6,260 12,887 11,886 239,462 103 Broiler-Type Chicks Placed Selected States and United States: 2020 State 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) Alabama ................................................ Arkansas ............................................... Delaware ............................................... Florida .................................................... Georgia .................................................. Kentucky ................................................ Louisiana ............................................... Maryland ................................................ Mississippi ............................................. Missouri ................................................. 25,635 22,190 6,108 1,316 25,987 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 24,988 21,417 4,939 1,225 27,068 6,073 3,269 5,051 14,888 5,935 March 21, 2020 (1,000 chicks) 24,923 22,029 5,318 1,325 28,120 5,912 3,234 5,875 15,182 5,655 March 28, 2020 (1,000 chicks) 25,585 22,848 4,967 1,335 26,602 5,601 3,352 5,421 15,191 6,437 North Carolina ....................................... Oklahoma .............................................. Pennsylvania ......................................... South Carolina ...................................... Texas ..................................................... Virginia .................................................. California, Tennessee, and West Virginia ............................... 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 20,830 4,092 4,441 4,441 14,088 5,669 11,368 20,200 3,498 4,368 4,881 13,940 6,383 11,554 Other States .......................................... 8,348 8,546 8,604 9,072 9,124 8,752 United States ........................................ Percent of previous year ...................... 190,275 103 190,863 104 189,882 103 Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Broiler Hatchery, April 1, 2020 191,060 103 191,626 104 190,915 103