Source:  Tom Johnston, MEATINGPLACE, 6/9/11

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USDA said commercial hatcheries in the 19-state weekly program set 206 million eggs in incubators during the week ended June 4, down 3 percentfrom the eggs set the corresponding week a year earlier. Average hatchability for chicks hatched during the week was 84 percent.

Broiler growers placed 172 million chicks for meat production during the same week, down 2 percent from the comparable week a year earlier.

Cumulative placements from Jan. 2 through June 4 were 3.76 billion, up 1 percent from the same period a year earlier.