News

January 1 U.S. cattle inventory lowest since 1958

USDA’s semi-annual cattle inventory update came out fairly close to expectations, showing multi-decade lows for the total herd and calf crop due to reduced hay acreage and drought in some of the major feeding areas.

All cattle and calves in the U.S. as of January 1 were reported at 92.6 million head, at the high end of estimates but still the smallest January 1 total since 1958.

The 2009 calf crop was pegged at 35.7 million head, also at the high end of estimates but the smallest since 1950. USDA projects the calf crop for the first half of 2010 at 25.9 million head, 1% less than the previous year.

All cows and heifers that have calved were reported at 40 million head, 1% below a year ago, with beef cows at 30.9 million head, down 2%, and milk cows at 9.1 million, up 1%.

All heifers weighing 500 pounds and up were placed at 19.5 million, a decrease of 1%, with beef replacement heifers at 5.2 million head, down 5%, milk replacement heifers at 4.6 million head, up 1%, and other heifers at 9.8 million head, also up 1%.

Steers weighing 500 pounds and up came out at 16.4 million head, 1% less than a year ago, bulls 500 pounds and up were pegged at 2.2 million head, a 2% decrease, and calves weighing less than 500 pounds were reported at 14.5 million head, a drop of 3%.

Slaughter cattle and calves on feed in all feedlots were placed at 14.0 million head, 3% above this time last year, but the combined calves less than 500 pounds and other steers and heifers more than 500 pounds outside of the feedlots were 3% below a year ago at 26.7 million head.

Darrell Mark discusses the implications of the numbers (8 Minutes, MP3)