March Egg Production Up 2 Percent
United States egg production totaled 8.07 billion during March 2013, up 2 percent from last year. Production included 6.99 billion table eggs, and 1.08 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.00 billion were broiler-type and 79 million were egg-type. The total number of layers during March 2013 averaged 347 million, up 2 percent from last year. March egg production per 100 layers was 2,325 eggs, up slightly from March 2012.
All layers in the United States on April 1, 2013 totaled 348 million, up 2 percent from last year. The 348 million layers consisted of 292 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 53.0 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 3.11 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on April 1, 2013, averaged 75.6 eggs per 100 layers, up 1 percent from April 1, 2012.
Egg-Type Chicks Hatched Down 2 Percent
Egg-type chicks hatched during March 2013 totaled 41.5 million, down 2 percent from March 2012. Eggs in incubators totaled 42.6 million on April 1, 2013, up 6 percent from a year ago.
Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 172 thousand during March 2013, down 18 percent from March 2012.
Broiler-Type Chicks Hatched Up 1 Percent
Broiler-type chicks hatched during March 2013 totaled 770 million, up 1 percent from March 2012. Eggs in incubators totaled 623 million on April 1, 2013, up 1 percent from a year earlier.
Leading breeders placed 6.33 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during March 2013, down 6 percent from March 2012.
Source: USDA