December Egg Production up 1 Percent - US - US egg production totaled 7.53 billion during December 2003, up 1 percent from last year, report the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) in their monthly Chickens and Eggs report.

Production included 6.48 billion table eggs, and 1.06 billion hatching eggs, of which 995 million were broiler-type and 61.0 million were egg-type. The total number of layers during December 2003 averaged 339 million, down 1 percent from a year earlier. December egg production per 100 layers was 2,225 eggs, up 2 percent from December 2002.

December 2003 contained 23 weekdays, 1 holiday, and 4 Saturdays, compared to December 2002 which contained 22 weekdays, 1 holiday, and 4 Saturdays.

All layers in the U.S. on January 1, 2004, totaled 337 million, down 1 percent from a year ago. The 337 million layers consisted of 280 million layers producing table or commercial type eggs, 55.0 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 2.44 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on January 1, 2004, averaged 71.0 eggs per 100 layers, up 2 percent from a year ago.

Laying flocks in the 30 major egg producing States produced 7.02 billion eggs during December 2003, up 1 percent from a year ago. The average number of layers during December, at 316 million, was down 1 percent from a year ago.

Individual State estimates are available for the 30 major egg producing States. These States are listed on page 8 of this release and account for approximately 94 percent of the total U.S. egg production. Production for the other States are grouped into an "Other States" category and combined with the 30 States published individually to obtain a U.S. estimate.

Special Note Preliminary 2002 Census data were used in the review process for the revised 2002 and 2003 layer and egg estimates in this publication. The revised estimates may appear disjointed from historical data until the release of the 5 - year Final Estimates publications which are scheduled for April 29, 2004.

Egg-Type Chicks Hatched Up 6 Percent

Egg-type chicks hatched during December totaled 33.9 million, up 6 percent from December 2002. Eggs in incubators totaled 31.7 million on January 1, 2004, up 5 percent from a year ago.

Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 242,000 during December 2003, up 29 percent from December 2002.

Broiler Hatch Up 3 Percent

The December 2003 hatch of broiler-type chicks, at 778 million, was up 3 percent from December of the previous year. There were 637 million eggs in incubators on January 1, 2004, up 2 percent from a year earlier.

Leading breeders placed 7.0 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during December 2003, up 8 percent from December 2002.

To view the full report, including tables, please click here

Source: USDA NASS - Chickens and Eggs Report - 30th January 2004