US egg production drops slightly

United States egg production totalled 7.19 billion during February 2013, down 1% from the same period last year.

Production included 6.23 billion table eggs, and 962 million hatching eggs, of which 893 million were broiler-type and 69 million were egg-type, according to the latest data from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

The total number of layers during February 2013 averaged 344 million, up 2% from last year. February egg production per 100 layers was 2,088 eggs, down 2% from February 2012.

All layers in the United States on March 1, 2013 totalled 345 million, up 2% from last year. The 345 million layers consisted of 291 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 51.7 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 2.98 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on March 1, 2013, averaged 74.3 eggs per 100 layers, up slightly from March 1, 2012.

Egg-type chicks hatched during February 2013 totalled 40.8 million, up 4% from February 2012. Eggs in incubators totalled 41.8 million on March 1, 2013, up 6% from a year ago.

Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totalled 236 thousand during February 2013, down 1% from February 2012.

Broiler-type chicks hatched during February 2013 totalled 690 million, down 2% from February 2012. Eggs in incubators totalled 622 million on March 1, 2013, up 2% from a year earlier.

Leading breeders placed 7.16 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during February 2013, up 2% from February 2012.