March Egg Production Up 1 Percent
United States egg production totaled 8.20 billion during March 2014, up 1 percent from last year. Production included 7.13 billion table eggs, and 1.07 billion hatching eggs, of which 995 million were broiler-type and 77 million were egg-type. The total number of layers during March 2014 averaged 350 million, up 1 percent from last year. March egg production per 100 layers was 2,341 eggs, up 1 percent from March 2013.
All layers in the United States on April 1, 2014 totaled 350 million, up slightly from last year. The 350 million layers consisted of 294 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 53.2 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 3.02 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on April 1, 2014, averaged 75.7 eggs per 100 layers, up slightly from April 1, 2013.
Egg-Type Chicks Hatched Up 1 Percent
Egg-type chicks hatched during March 2014 totaled 44.0 million, up 1 percent from March 2013. Eggs in incubators totaled 43.7 million on April 1, 2014, down 4 percent from a year ago.
Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 235 thousand during March 2014, up 37 percent from March 2013.
Broiler-Type Chicks Hatched Down Slightly
Broiler-type chicks hatched during March 2014 totaled 770 million, down slightly from March 2013. Eggs in incubators totaled 628 million on April 1, 2014, up slightly from a year earlier.
Leading breeders placed 6.79 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during March 2014, up 3 percent from March 2013.
Source: USDA