December Egg Production Down 8 Percent
United States egg production totaled 8.05 billion during December 2015, down 8 percent from last year. Production included 6.91 billion table eggs, and 1.14 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.05 billion were broiler-type and 91 million were egg-type. The total number of layers during December 2015 averaged 345 million, down 6 percent from last year. December egg production per 100 layers was 2,333 eggs, down 2 percent from December 2014.
All layers in the United States on January 1, 2016 totaled 347 million, down 5 percent from last year. The 347 million layers consisted of 288 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 54.9 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 3.63 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on January 1, 2016, averaged 74.8 eggs per 100 layers, down 2 percent from January 1, 2015.
Egg-Type Chicks Hatched Up 10 Percent
Egg-type chicks hatched during December 2015 totaled 47.3 million, up 10 percent from December 2014. Eggs in incubators totaled 48.0 million on January 1, 2016, up 14 percent from a year ago.
Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 215 thousand during December 2015, down 13 percent from December 2014.
Broiler-Type Chicks Hatched Up Slightly
Broiler-type chicks hatched during December 2015 totaled 798 million, up slightly from December 2014. Eggs in incubators totaled 645 million on January 1, 2016, up slightly from a year ago.
Leading breeders placed 7.54 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during December 2015, up 11 percent from December 2014.
