March Egg Production Up 1 Percent - US - US egg production totaled 7.53 billion during March 2004, up 1 percent from last year, report the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) in their monthly Chickens and Eggs report.

Production included 6.44 billion table eggs, and 1.09 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.03 billion were broiler-type and 58.0 million were egg-type.

The total number of layers during March 2004 averaged 341 million, up slightly from a year earlier.

March egg production per 100 layers was 2,209 eggs, up 1 percent from March 2003.

March 2004 contained 23 weekdays, four Saturdays compared to March 2003 which contained 21 weekdays, and five Saturdays.

All layers in the U.S. on April 1, 2004, totaled 342 million, up 1 percent from a year ago. The 342 million layers consisted of 283 million layers producing table or commercial type eggs, 56.6 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 2.44 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on April 1, 2004, averaged 72.0 eggs per 100 layers, up 2 percent from a year ago.

Laying flocks in the 30 major egg producing States produced 7.03 billion eggs during March 2004, up 1 percent from a year ago. The average number of layers during March, at 318 million, was up slightly 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 2 Percent

Egg-type chicks hatched during March totaled 37.5 million, up 2 percent from March 2003. Eggs in incubators totaled 33.9 million on April 1, 2004, down 3 percent from a year ago. Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 401,000 during March 2004, up 26 percent from March 2003.

Broiler Hatch Up 2 Percent

The March 2004 hatch of broiler-type chicks, at 791 million, was up 2 percent from March of the previous year. There were 653 million eggs in incubators on April 1, 2004, up 2 percent from a year earlier.

Leading breeders placed 6.8 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during March 2004, down 3 percent from March 2003.

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Source: USDA NASS - Chickens and Eggs Report - 23rd April 2004