Source: Tom Johnston, MEATINGPLACE, 9/22/11

USDA said Wednesday commercial hatcheries in the 19-state weekly program set 182 million eggs in incubators during the week ended Sept. 17, down 7percent from the eggs set in the same week a year earlier.

Average hatchability for chicks hatched during the week was 85 percent.

Broiler growers in the program placed 162 million chicks for meat production during the week, down 5 percent year on year.

Cumulative placements from Jan. 2, 2011 through Sept. 17 were 6.24 billion, down 1 percent from the same period a year earlier.

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