By: Greg Henderson
Previously published by Drovers online
The annual Cattle Inventory report issued by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) found all cattle and calves in the U.S. as of Jan. 1, 2019 at 94.8 million head, up 0.5% from last year’s 94.3 million head.
All cows and heifers that have calved, totaled 41.1 million head, 1% above the 40.9 million head on January 1, 2018. Beef cows, totaled 31.8 million head, up 1% from a year ago. Milk cows, at 9.35 million head, were down 1% from the previous year.
All heifers 500 pounds and over as of January 1, 2019 totaled 20.2 million head, slightly above the 20.2 million head on January 1, 2018. Beef replacement heifers, at 5.92 million head, were down 3% from a year ago. Milk replacement heifers, at 4.70 million head, were down 1%percent from the previous year. Other heifers, at 9.60 million head, were 3% above a year earlier.
Steers weighing 500 pounds and over as of January 1, 2019 totaled 16.6 million head, up 1% from January 1, 2018. Bulls weighing 500 pounds and over as of January 1, 2019 totaled 2.26 million head, up slightly from January 1, 2018.
Calves under 500 pounds as of January 1, 2019 totaled 14.5 million head, up 1% from January 1, 2018. Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for all feedlots totaled 14.4 million head on January 1, 2019. The on-feed inventory is up 2% from the January 1, 2018 total of 14.1 million head.
Cattle on feed in feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head accounted for 81.3 percent of the total cattle on feed on January 1, 2019, 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) is 26.4 million head. This is 1% above January 1, 2018.
Calf Crop Up 2 Percent
The 2018 calf crop in the United States was estimated at 36.4 million head, up 2% from last year’s calf crop. Calves born during the first half of 2018 were estimated at 26.6 million head, up 3% from the first half of 2017. Calves born during the second half of 2018 were estimated at 9.80 million head, 27% percent of the total 2018 calf crop.