SOUTH CAROLINA EGG PRODUCTION DOWN

Columbia, S.C., April 26, 2005: SOUTH CAROLINA'S laying flocks produced 109 million eggs during March, down 4 percent from a year ago, according to the USDA, South Carolina Statistics Office. Production totaled 90 million table eggs and 19 million hatching eggs. The number of layers averaged 4,995,000 birds, down 4 percent from 5,225,000 a year ago. March egg production per 100 layers was 2,182 eggs, compared with 2,163 in March 2004.

UNITED STATES egg production totaled 7.73 billion during March 2005, up 2 percent from last year. Production included 6.60 billion table eggs, and 1.13 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.07 billion were broiler-type and 63 million were egg-type. The total number of layers during March 2005 averaged 347 million, up 2 percent from a year earlier. March egg production per 100 layers was 2,225 eggs, up 1 percent from March 2004.

SOUTH CAROLINA BROILER HATCHERY PRODUCTION DECREASES

During the month of March, SOUTH CAROLINA’S broiler hatcheries produced 19.1 million chicks, up 43 percent from a year ago.

The UNITED STATES March 2005 hatch of broiler-type chicks, at 816 million, was up 3 percent from March of the previous year. There were 658 million eggs in incubators on April 1, 2005, up 1 percent from a year earlier.

For additional information call:

                                  Robert A. Graham, State Statistician

                                  Stan Cheek, Agricultural Statistician

                                  Office Telephone: (803) 765-5333