October 25, 2004

US Egg Production Up 3% in September

Egg production in the US totaled 7.32 billion during September 2004, up 3 percent from last year. Production included 6.26 billion table eggs, and 1.06 billion hatching eggs, of which 996 million were broiler-type and 60 million were egg-type. The total number of layers during September 2004 averaged 343 million, up 3 percent from a year earlier.

September egg production per 100 layers was 2,133 eggs, rising slightly from September 2003.

All layers in the US on October 1, 2004, totaled 344 million, up 3 percent from a year ago. The 344 million layers consisted of 285 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 55.8 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 2.61 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on October 1, 2004, averaged 71.3 eggs per 100 layers, up slightly from a year ago.

Laying flocks in the 30 major egg producing States produced 6.84 billion eggs during September 2004, increasing 3 percent from a year ago. The average number of layers during September, at 321 million, was up 3 percent from a year ago.

Egg-Type Chicks Hatched Up 3 Percent

Egg-type chicks hatched during September totaled 36.8 million, up 3 percent from September 2003. Eggs in incubators totaled 33.7 million on October 1, 2004, rising 13 percent from a year ago.

Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 205,000 during September 2004, down 25 percent from September 2003.

Broiler Hatch Up 4 Percent

The September 2004 hatch of broiler-type chicks, at 770 million, increased 4 percent compared with the same period in the previous year. There were 617 million eggs in incubators on October 1, 2004, up 3 percent from a year earlier.

Leading breeders placed 7.76 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during September 2004, up 17 percent from September 2003.