October Egg Production Up 1 Percent - US - US egg production totaled 7.70 billion during October 2005, up one 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 1.10 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.04 billion were broiler-type and 60 million were egg-type. The number of layers during October 2005 averaged 344 million, down slightly from a year earlier. October egg production per 100 layers was 2,239 eggs, up 1 percent from October 2004.

All layers in the U.S. on November 1, 2005, totaled 345 million, down slightly from a year ago. The 345 million layers consisted of 287 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 55.3 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 2.46 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on November 1, 2005, averaged 72.4 eggs per 100 layers, up 1 percent from November 1, 2004.

Egg-Type Chicks Hatched Up 1 Percent

Egg-type chicks hatched during October 2005 totaled 35.4 million, up 1 percent from October 2004. Eggs in incubators totaled 33.1 million on November 1, 2005, down 11 percent from a year ago. Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 189,000 during October 2005, down 29 percent from October 2004.

Broiler-Type Chicks Hatched Up 3 Percent

Broiler-type chicks hatched during October 2005 totaled 776 million, up 3 percent from October 2004. Eggs in incubators totaled 624 million on November 1, 2005, up 3 percent from a year earlier. Leading breeders placed 6.94 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during October 2005, up 8 percent from October 2004.

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