The March WASDE projected broiler production to increase based on recent hatchery data. So far, broiler chicks placed through 18 March are 101 percent of last year at 2.05 billion. But there are still hatchability issues plaguing the sector, which encumber the potential number of chick placements. For the week ending 18 March, the hatchability rate – the number of chicks hatched divided by the number of eggs set – was 79.2 percent, still lagging a more normal rate. Hatchability has been an issue for the past couple of years. Things looked promising early in 2023, but hatchability has trended back down.
Looking at the longer term, chicks placed as a percent of eggs set is 79.7 percent so far in 2023, that is below the...
What You Need to Know Today: Russia rejected calls for a ceasefire in the Black Sea, including a proposal to halt attacks on civilian shipping that could help restore grain flows from Ukrainian ports. Tyson Foods announced plans to permanently close its Joslin, Illinois, beef processing facili...
The big news in the cattle markets yesterday was Tyson Foods’ move to close two more beef plants. One of them, the Joslin, Illinois, plant was shuttered immediately after the announcement. The other, in Eagle Mountain, Utah, is a case-ready plant that does not slaughter cattle. Tyson also...
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) on Wednesday. In July, the CPI rose 0.1 percent, seasonally adjusted, and rose 3.4 percent over the last 12 months, not seasonally adjusted. The index for all items less food and energy, or the “core” infla...