January 1 Cattle Inventory Down Slightly
All
cattle and calves in the United States as of January 1, 2020 totaled
94.4 million head, slightly below the 94.8 million head on January 1,
2019.
All cows and heifers that have calved, at 40.7 million
head, were 1 percent below the 41.0 million head on January 1, 2019.
Beef cows, at 31.3 million head, were down 1 percent from a year ago.
Milk cows, at 9.33 million head, were down slightly from the previous
year.
All heifers 500 pounds and over as of January 1, 2020
totaled 20.1 million head, slightly below the 20.2 million head on
January 1, 2019. Beef replacement heifers, at 5.77 million head, were
down 2 percent from a year ago. Milk replacement heifers, at 4.64
million head, were down 1 percent from the previous year. Other heifers,
at 9.71 million head, were 1 percent above a year earlier.
Steers weighing 500 pounds and over as of January 1, 2020 totaled 16.7 million head, down 1 percent from January 1, 2019.
Bulls weighing 500 pounds and over as of January 1, 2020 totaled 2.24 million head, down 1 percent from January 1, 2019.
Calves under 500 pounds as of January 1, 2020 totaled 14.7 million head, up 1 percent from January 1, 2019.
Cattle
and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for
all feedlots totaled 14.7 million head on January 1, 2020. The inventory
is up 2 percent from the January 1, 2019 total of 14.4 million head.
Cattle on feed in feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head accounted
for 81.5 percent of the total cattle on feed on January 1, 2020, up
slightly from the previous year. The combined total of calves under 500
pounds and other heifers and steers over 500 pounds (outside of
feedlots) at 26.4 million head, was slightly below January 1, 2019.
Calf Crop Down 1 Percent
The
2019 calf crop in the United States was estimated at 36.1 million head,
down 1 percent from last year's calf crop. Calves born during the first
half of 2019 were estimated at 26.4 million head, down slightly from
the first half of 2018. Calves born during the second half of 2019 were
estimated at 9.71 million head, 27 percent of the total 2019 calf crop.
