March 3, 2008

US January egg production falls slightly
 

Egg production totalled 7.6 billion in January 2008, down slightly from the previous year, according to statistics released by USDA.

Production included 6.5 billion table eggs and 1.1 billion hatching eggs, of which 1 billion were broiler-type and 67 million were egg-type.

Total layers in February 1, 2008 averaged 345 million, down 1 percent from 2007. That consisted of 284 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 58 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 3 million layers producing hatching eggs.

Egg-type chicks hatched during January 2008 totalled 40 million, up 9 percent from January 2007.

Incubated eggs totalled 35.5 million, down 4 percent from a year ago.