May Egg Production Up 1 Percent - US - U.S. egg production totaled 7.63 billion during May 2006, up 1 percent from last year, report the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) in their monthly Chickens and Eggs report.

Production included 6.52 billion table eggs, and 1.11 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.04 billion were broiler-type and 70 million were egg-type. The number of layers during May 2006 averaged 345 million, up 1 percent from last year. May egg production per 100 layers was 2,213 eggs, down slightly from May 2005.

All layers in the U.S. on June 1, 2006, totaled 343 million, up 1 percent from last year. The 343 million layers consisted of 286 million layers producing table-type eggs, 54.7 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 2.84 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on June 1, 2006, averaged 71.2 eggs per 100 layers, down slightly from June 1, 2005.

Egg-Type Chicks Hatched Up 4 Percent

Egg-type chicks hatched during May 2006 totaled 40.3 million, up 4 percent from May 2005. Eggs in incubators totaled 37.4 million on June 1, 2006, up 10 percent from a year ago.

Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 241,000 during May 2006, up 27 percent from May 2005.

Broiler-Type Chicks Hatched Down 2 Percent

Broiler-type chicks hatched during May 2006 totaled 811 million, down 2 percent from May 2005. Eggs in incubators totaled 661 million on June 1, 2006, down 1 percent from a year earlier.

Leading breeders placed 7.53 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during May 2006, down 3 percent from May 2005.

To view the full report, including tables, please click here (PDF)

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