Source: Lisa M. Keefe, MEATINGPLACE, 12/15/11

Commercial hatcheries in the 19-state weekly program set 196 million eggs in incubators during the week ending December 10, 2011. This was down 5 percent from the eggs set the corresponding week a year earlier.

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

Broiler growers in the 19 State weekly program placed 165 million chicks for meat production during the week ending December 10, 2011. Placements were down 3 percent from the comparable week a year earlier.

Cumulative placements from January 2, 2011 through December 10, 2011 were 8.10 billion, down 2
percent from the same period a year earlier.

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