March Egg Production Up 2 Percent - US - US egg production totaled 7.73 billion during March 2005, up 2 percent from last year, report the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) in their monthly Chickens and Eggs report. Production included 6.60 billion table eggs, and 1.13 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.07 billion were broiler-type and 63 million were egg-type. The total number of layers during March 2005 averaged 347 million, up 2 percent from a year earlier. March egg production per 100 layers was 2,225 eggs, up 1 percent from March 2004.

All layers in the U.S. on April 1, 2005, totaled 345 million, up 1 percent from a year ago. The 345 million layers consisted of 286 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 56.9 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 2.63 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on April 1, 2005, averaged 71.8 eggs per 100 layers, down slightly from a year ago.

February 2005 contained 28 days, while February 2004 contained 29 days due to the leap year.

Table Egg Production United States 2002 - 2005

Egg-Type Chicks Hatched Up 6 Percent

Egg-type chicks hatched during March totaled 40.0 million, up 6 percent from March 2004. Eggs in incubators totaled 34.1 million on April 1, 2005, up 2 percent from a year ago.

Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 314,000 during March 2005, down 22 percent from March 2004.

Broiler Hatch Up 3 Percent

The March 2005 hatch of broiler-type chicks, at 816 million, was up 3 percent from March of the previous year. There were 658 million eggs in incubators on April 1, 2005, up 1 percent from a year earlier.

Leading breeders placed 7.08 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during March 2005, up 4 percent from March 2004.

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Source: USDA NASS - Chickens and Eggs Report - 22nd April 2005