Turkey Hatchery
Turkey Hatchery

ISSN: 1949-1964

Released August 13, 2021, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service 
(NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of 
Agriculture (USDA).

Eggs in Incubators on August 1 Down 1 Percent from Last Year

Turkey eggs in incubators on August 1, 2021 in the United States totaled 
26.8 million, down 1 percent from August 1, 2020. Eggs in incubators were up 
2 percent from the July 1, 2021 total of 26.4 million eggs.  

Poults Hatched During July Down 5 Percent from Last Year

Turkey poults hatched during July 2021 in the United States totaled 
22.6 million, down 5 percent from July 2020. Poults hatched were up 4 percent 
from the June 2021 total of 21.7 million poults.  

Net Poults Placed During July Down 3 Percent from Last Year

The 22.3 million net poults placed during July 2021 in the United States were 
down 3 percent from the number placed during the same month a year earlier. 
Net poult placements were up 7 percent from the June 2021 total of 
20.9 million.

Eggs in Incubators and Poults Hatched by Month - United States: 2019-2021
[Blank data cells indicate estimation period has not yet begun]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  :Eggs in incubators first of month: Percent of  :Poults hatched entire month: Percent of  
       Month      :---------------------------------:             :---------------------------:             
                  :   2019-2020    :   2020-2021    :previous year:  2019-2020  :  2020-2021  :previous year
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  :     ------ 1,000 eggs -----         percent       --- 1,000 poults ---        percent   
                  :                                                                                         
September ........:     26,666           25,989            97         22,464        21,840           97     
October ..........:     29,327           27,293            93         24,905        23,290           94     
November .........:     26,958           26,764            99         22,325        22,230          100     
December .........:     26,464           26,982           102         22,655        23,090          102     
January ..........:     28,820           24,635            85         23,879        21,502           90     
February .........:     28,209           26,153            93         22,566        20,705           92     
March ............:     27,980           26,150            93         23,729        23,269           98     
April ............:     27,922           27,547            99         23,461        22,599           96     
May ..............:     27,274           25,403            93         21,562        20,903           97     
June .............:     28,540           25,958            91         23,940        21,714           91     
July .............:     27,718           26,396            95         23,759        22,583           95     
August ...........:     27,158           26,831            99         22,509                                
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Net Poult Placements by Month - United States: 2019-2021
[Includes imports and excludes exports. Blank data cells indicate estimation period has not yet begun]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  :        Total all breeds         : Percent of  :     Cumulative total      : Percent of  
       Month      :---------------------------------:             :---------------------------:             
                  :   2019-2020    :   2020-2021    :previous year:  2019-2020  :  2020-2021  :previous year
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  :     ----- 1,000 poults ----         percent       ---- 1,000 poults ---       percent   
                  :                                                                                         
September ........:     20,125           19,141            95          20,125        19,141         95      
October ..........:     21,857           20,114            92          41,982        39,255         94      
November .........:     20,199           20,070            99          62,181        59,325         95      
December .........:     20,216           20,569           102          82,397        79,894         97      
January ..........:     21,414           19,751            92         103,811        99,645         96      
February .........:     20,663           18,995            92         124,474       118,640         95      
March ............:     21,741           21,982           101         146,215       140,622         96      
April ............:     22,053           21,620            98         168,268       162,242         96      
May ..............:     19,559           19,584           100         187,827       181,826         97      
June .............:     22,764           20,926            92         210,591       202,752         96      
July .............:     23,013           22,312            97         233,604       225,064         96      
August ...........:     20,945                                        254,549                               
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Statistical Methodology

Survey Procedures: Data for turkey hatchery estimates are collected from all 
known turkey hatcheries. Individual NASS regional field offices maintain a 
list of all known turkey hatcheries and use known sources of hatcheries to 
update their lists. Approximately 45 hatcheries in 20 states are contacted 
each month. All known turkey hatcheries hatching 15,000 or more poults 
annually are mailed a questionnaire as close to the first of the month as 
possible. Adequate time is given to respond via mail, fax, or electronic data 
reporting. Those that do not respond are contacted by phone. Care is 
exercised to ensure that all hatcheries are accounted for in the estimate.

Estimating Procedures: Sound statistical methodology is employed to derive 
the estimates from reported data. All data are analyzed for unusual values. 
Data from each operation are compared to their own past operating profile and 
to trends from similar operations. Data for missing operations were estimated 
based on similar operations or historical data. NASS regional field offices 
prepare these estimates by using a combination of survey indications and 
historic trends. Individual State estimates are reviewed by the Agricultural 
Statistics Board for reasonableness. Individual hatchery data are summed to 
State, regional, and United States totals. Only United States level estimates 
are published due to the limited number of hatcheries involved. The Net Poult 
Placement data include imported poults and exclude exported poults.

Cumulative net poult placements beginning on September 1 and ending on August 
31 are shown in the monthly Turkey Hatchery report. This time period 
corresponds with the placements of poults which will reach maturity and be 
available for slaughter during the calendar year.

Revision Policy: Revisions are generally the result of late or corrected 
data. Revisions to the previous month are published in the monthly Turkey 
Hatchery report, while annual revisions are published in the Hatchery 
Production - Annual Summary report in April.

Reliability: Turkey hatchery estimates are based on a census of all known 
operating hatcheries and therefore, have no sampling error. However, 
estimates are subject to errors such as omission, duplication, and mistakes 
in reporting, recording, and processing the data. While these errors cannot 
be measured directly, they are minimized through strict quality controls in 
the data collection process and through a careful review of all reported data 
for consistency and reasonableness.

To assist in evaluating the reliability of the estimates in this report, the 
"Root Mean Square Error" is shown for selected items in the following table. 
The "Root Mean Square Error" is a statistical measure based on past 
performance and is computed using the differences between first and final 
estimates. The "Root Mean Square Error" for turkey eggs in incubators on the 
first day of the month over the past 24 months is 2.9 percent. This means 
that chances are 2 out of 3 that the final estimate will not be above or 
below the current estimate of 26.8 million eggs by more than 2.9 percent. 
Chances are 9 out of 10 that the difference will not exceed 5.0 percent.

Reliability of August Turkey Hatchery Estimates
[Based on data for the past 24 months]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   :  Root mean  : 90 percent  :     Difference between first and latest estimate     
                                   :square error : confidence  :        :        :        :             :             
                                   :             :    level    :------------------------------------------------------
                Item               :             :             :        :        :        :          Months           
                                   :             :             :        :        :        :---------------------------
                                   :             :             :Average :Smallest:Largest :Below latest :Above latest 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   :   percent       percent      -------- 1,000 -------        ---- number ----      
                                   :                                                                                  
Eggs in incubators ................:     2.9           5.0        559       1      2,201        15             9      
                                   :                                                                                  
Poults hatched ....................:     1.8           3.1        257       0      1,319        13            10      
                                   :                                                                                  
Net poult placements ..............:     2.1           3.6        301       0      1,329        17             6      
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Information Contacts

Listed below are the commodity specialists in the Livestock Branch of the National 
Agricultural Statistics Service to contact for additional information. E-mail inquiries may 
be sent to nass@usda.gov

Travis Averill, Chief, Livestock Branch ..................................... (202) 692-0069

Jean Porter, Head, Poultry and Specialty Commodities Section ................ (202) 690-3223
   Holly Brenize - Poultry Slaughter......................................... (202) 720-0585
   Alissa Cowell-Mytar - Cold Storage, Capacity of Refrigerated Warehouses .. (202) 720-4751
   Liana Cuffman - Catfish and Trout, Mink, Census of Aquaculture ........... (202) 720-8784
   Fatema Haque - Turkey Hatchery, Turkeys Raised ........................... (202) 720-3244 
   Derron Martin - Chicken Hatchery, Egg Products............................ (202) 690-3237
   Seth Riggins - Honey, Honey Bee Colonies ................................. (202) 690-4870
   Autumn Stone - Layers, Eggs .............................................. (202) 690-3676
   Takiyah Walker - Broiler Hatchery......................................... (202) 720-6147

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