US egg production down in January

U.S. egg production totaled 7.83 billion during January, down slightly from 2011 numbers, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's latest report. Production included 6.78 billion table eggs and 1.05 billion hatching eggs, of which 972 million were broiler-type and 73 million were egg-type. The total number of layers during January averaged 338 million, down 1 percent from 2011. January egg production per 100 layers was 2,319 eggs, up 1 percent from January 2011. All layers in the U.S. on February 1 totaled 337 million, down 1 percent from 2011 numbers. The 337 million layers consisted of 284 million layers producing table- or market-type eggs, 50.5 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs and 2.97 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on February 1 averaged 73.4 eggs per 100 layers, down slightly from February 1, 2011. Egg-type chicks hatched during January totaled 40.3 million, down 3 percent from January 2011. Eggs in incubators totaled 39.4 million on February 1, down 1 percent from 2011. Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 263 thousand during January, up 20 percent from January 2011 numbers. Broiler-type chicks hatched during January totaled 752 million, down 4 percent from January 2011. Eggs in incubators totaled 602 million on February 1, down 5 percent from 2011 numbers. For more egg and poultry statistics, see www.wattagnet.com/marketdata.html.