Search Site   
Current News Stories
Solar eclipse, new moon coming April 8
Mystery illness affecting dairy cattle in Texas Panhandle
Teach others to live sustainably
Gun safety begins early
Hard-cooked eggs recipes great for Easter, anytime
Michigan carrot producers to vote on program continuation
Suggestions to celebrate 50th wedding anniversary
USDA finalizes new ‘Product of the USA’ labeling rule 
U.S. weather outlooks currently favoring early planting season
Weaver Popcorn Hybrids expanding and moving to new facility
Role of women in agriculture changing Hoosier dairy farmer says
   
News Articles
Search News  
   

USDA: Egg production up 3 percent in June

 

 

By DOUG SCHMITZ

Iowa Correspondent

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. egg production totaled 7.96 billion during June 2014, up 3 percent from last year, with Iowa once again ranking as the nation’s top egg-producing state, according to the USDA’s June Egg Production report released on July 22.

The report said production included 6.90 billion table eggs, and 1.06 billion hatching eggs, of which 988 million were broiler-type and 75 million were egg-type. The total number of layers during June 2014 averaged 352 million, up 2 percent from last year. June egg production per 100 layers was 2,264 eggs, up 1 percent from June 2013.

The report added that all layers in the U.S. on July 1, 2014, totaled 352 million, up 2 percent from last year. The 352 million layers consisted of 295 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 53.6 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 3.05 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs.

Rate of lay per day on July 1, 2014, averaged 76.0 eggs per 100 layers, up 2 percent from July 1, 2013, the report read.

The report added that egg-type chicks hatched during June 2014 totaled 43.5 million, up 5 percent from June 2013, with eggs in incubators totaling 40.3 million on July 1, 2014, up 6 percent from a year ago.

The report also said domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 172,000 during June 2014, up 13 percent from June 2013.

The report said broiler-type chicks hatched during June 2014 totaled 763 million, down slightly from June 2013, with eggs in incubators totaling 636 million on July 1, 2014, up 1 percent from a year ago. Leading breeders placed 7.09 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during June 2014, up 1 percent from June 2013, the report added.

Simon Shane, veterinarian and adjunct professor in the North Carolina State University department of poultry science and the College of Veterinary Medicine, said the USDA had forecast a 1.1 percent increase in broiler meat production to 38,233 million pounds, compared to 2013.

"The restraint in expansion is attributed to availability of parent stock," he said of the July 22 report. "This follows the cutbacks by the major breeders following the decreased demand in 2011-2012 attributed to ‘increased production costs borne by integrators.’"

"The downturn in the economy together with the drought-related escalation in the cost of corn and soybeans caused the primary breeders to reduce their output of grandparent-level stock," he added. "Now that the economy is rebounding and demand is increasing, there are insufficient parents available to meet the demand for broiler chicks."

According to the July 16 USDA Broiler Hatchery Report, hatcheries in the U.S. weekly program set 214 million eggs in incubators during the week ending July 12, 2014, up 1 percent from a year ago.

Moreover, average hatchability for chicks hatched during the week in the U.S. was 83 percent, with average hatchability calculated by dividing chicks hatched during the week by eggs set three weeks earlier.

Iowa, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania and California, are typically the top egg-producing states that represent more than half of all U.S. hens, according to the American Egg Board.

As the nation’s leading egg-producing state, Iowa’s egg production during June 2014 was 1.25 billion eggs, down 5 percent from last month, but up 3 percent from last year. In addition, Iowa’s total number of layers on hand during June was 54.2 million, down fractionally from last month, but up 2 percent from the 53.1 million last year.

In Illinois, egg production during June 2014 was 10.7 million, up from 8.8 million in June 2013, the report said. In Indiana, egg production during June 2014 was 64 million, up from 60.8 million last June.

In addition, Michigan egg production during June 2014 was 31.2 million, up from 30.2 million last June. In Missouri, egg production during June 2014 was 17.8 million, up from 17.2 last June.

In Ohio, egg production during June 2014 was 69.9 million, up from June 2013’s 65.3 million. Kentucky and Tennessee had no numbers to report.

According to the July 21 USDA Egg Market News Report, Midwest-delivered asking prices are 10 cents higher for extra-large and large, and steady on medium. Regional prices are 3 cents higher on jumbo, 5 to 14 cents higher on extra-large, 8 to 14 cents higher on large, steady to 1 cent lower on medium.

Given that primary breeders have recently accelerated the rate of placing grandparent flocks, Shane predicted production in 2015 will increase by 2.6 percent over 2014 to attain 39,225 million pounds of broiler-processed meat.

"The domestic situation is also reflected in static exports in 2013 and 2014 with the current-year estimated at 7,306 million metric tons or 19.1 percent of output," he said.

"For 2015, the USDA projects exports at 7,475 million pounds or a 3.2 percent increase in total shipments representing 19.1 percent of production," he added.

7/30/2014