US egg production up one percent in April

US egg production totalled 7.46 billion in April, up one percent from last year, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

Production included 6.41 billion table eggs, and 1.05 billion hatching eggs of which 980 million were broiler-type and 71 million were egg-type. Total number of layers in April averaged 340 million, down slightly from last year. April egg production per 100 layers was 2,196 eggs, up two percent on-year.

All layers in the US on May 1, 2009 totalled 339 million, down slightly from last year. The layers consisted of 282 million layers producing table- or market-type eggs, 53.9 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 3.01 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs.

Daily laying rate on May 1, 2009, averaged 72.4 eggs per 100 layers, up one percent on-year.

Egg-type chicks hatched in April dropped four percent on-year to 40.6 million. Egg in incubators fell 12 percent on-year to 35.8 million.

Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totalled 307,000 in April, up 16 percent from April 2008.

Broiler-type chicks hatched during April 2009 totalled 756 million, down six percent from April 2008. Eggs in incubators totalled 628 million on May 1, 2009, down six percent from a year earlier.

Leading breeders placed 6.16 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during April 2009, down 13 percent from April 2008.