April Egg Production Up 2 Percent
United States egg production totaled 8.01 billion during April 2014, up 2 percent from last year. Production included 6.96 billion table eggs, and 1.04 billion hatching eggs, of which 967 million were broiler-type and 75 million were egg-type. The total number of layers during April 2014 averaged 352 million, up 2 percent from last year. April egg production per 100 layers was 2,273 eggs, up 1 percent from April 2013.
All layers in the United States on May 1, 2014 totaled 352 million, up 2 percent from last year. The 352 million layers consisted of 295 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 53.5 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 3.19 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on May 1, 2014, averaged 75.8 eggs per 100 layers, up 1 percent from May 1, 2013.
Egg-Type Chicks Hatched Up Slightly
Egg-type chicks hatched during April 2014 totaled 45.5 million, up slightly from April 2013. Eggs in incubators totaled 46.1 million on May 1, 2014, up 6 percent from a year ago.
Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 243 thousand during April 2014, up 4 percent from April 2013.
Broiler-Type Chicks Hatched Down Slightly
Broiler-type chicks hatched during April 2014 totaled 749 million, down slightly from April 2013. Eggs in incubators totaled 637 million on May 1, 2014, up 2 percent from a year earlier.
Leading breeders placed 6.71 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during April 2014, up 8 percent from April 2013.
Source: USDA