Cattle Inventory Highlights

January 1 Cattle Inventory Down 2 Percent

All cattle and calves in the United States as of January 1, 2024 totaled 87.2 million head, 2 percent below the 88.8 million head on January 1, 2023. 

All cows and heifers that have calved, at 37.6 million head, were 2 percent below the 38.3 million head on January 1, 2023. Beef cows, at 28.2 million head, were down 2 percent from a year ago. Milk cows, at 9.36 million head, were down slightly from the previous year. 

All heifers 500 pounds and over as of January 1, 2024 totaled 18.5 million head, 1 percent below the 18.8 million head on January 1, 2023. Beef replacement heifers, at 4.86 million head, were down 1 percent from a year ago. Milk replacement heifers, at 4.06 million head, were down slightly from the previous year. Other heifers, at 9.57 million head, were 2 percent below a year earlier. 

Steers weighing 500 pounds and over as of January 1, 2024 totaled 15.8 million head, down 2 percent from January 1, 2023. 

Bulls weighing 500 pounds and over as of January 1, 2024 totaled 2.02 million head, down slightly from January 1, 2023.

Calves under 500 pounds as of January 1, 2024 totaled 13.3 million head, down 3 percent from January 1, 2023. 

Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for all feedlots totaled 14.4 million head on January 1, 2024. The inventory is up 2 percent from the January 1, 2023 total of 14.2 million head. Cattle on feed in feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head accounted for 82.7 percent of the total cattle on feed on January 1, 2024, 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 24.2 million head, was 4 percent below January 1, 2023.  

Calf Crop Down 2 Percent

The 2023 calf crop in the United States was estimated at 33.6 million head, down 2 percent from the previous year's calf crop. Calves born during the first half of 2023 were estimated at 24.7 million head, down 2 percent from the first half of 2022. Calves born during the second half of 2023 were estimated at 8.89 million head, 26 percent of the total 2023 calf crop.