Source: MEATINGPLACE, 1/5/12


Commercial hatcheries in the 19-state weekly program set 194 million eggs in incubators during the week ended Dec. 31, 2011, down 4 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 program placed 163 million chicks for meat production during the week, down 3 percent from the comparable week a year earlier.

Cumulative placements from Jan. 2, 2011, through December 31, 2011, were 8.58 billion, down 3 percent from the same period a year earlier.
 

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