October 23, 2003

US September Egg Production Down 1%

According to the report stated in the National Agricultural Statistics Service's (NASS) monthly Chickens and Eggs report, U.S. egg production totaled 7.31 billion during August 2003, down one percent from last year.

September Egg Production Down 1%

U.S. egg production totaled 7.05 billion during September 2003, down 1% from last year. Production included 6.04 billion table eggs and 1.02 billion hatching eggs, of which 961 million were broiler-type and 55.0 million were egg-type. The total number of layers during September 2003 averaged 332 million, down 2% from a year earlier. September egg production per 100 layers was 2,127 eggs, up slightly from September 2002.
 

All layers in the U.S. on October 1, 2003, totaled 331 million, down 2% from a year ago. The 331 million layers consisted of 274 million layers producing table or commercial type eggs, 54.8 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 2.35 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on October 1, 2003, averaged 71.2 eggs per 100 layers, up 1% from a year ago.

Laying flocks in the 30 major egg producing States produced 6.58 billion eggs during September 2003, down 2% from a year ago. The average number of layers during September, at 309 million, was down 2% from a year ago.
Individual State estimates are available for the 30 major egg producing States. These States account for approximately 94% of the total U.S. egg production.

Egg-Type Chicks Hatched Up Slightly

Egg-type chicks hatched during September totaled 35.8 million, up slightly from September 2002. Eggs in incubators totaled 30.1 million on October 1, 2003, up 1% from a year ago.

Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 269,000 during September 2003, down 3% from September 2002.

Broiler Hatch Down Slightly