Source:   Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE, 7/14/11

Commercial hatcheries in the 19-state weekly program set 196 million eggs in incubators during the week ending July 9, down 5 percent from the eggs set the corresponding week a year earlier, according to USDA’s weekly Broiler Hatchery report.

Average hatchability for chicks hatched during the week was 85 percent. Average hatchability is calculated by dividing chicks hatched during the week by eggs set three weeks earlier.

Broiler growers in the 19-state weekly program placed 166 million chicks for meat production during the week ending July 9, down 4 percent from the comparable week a year earlier.

Cumulative placements from Jan. 2 through July 9, 2011 were 4.61 billion, up slightly from the same period a year earlier.

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