As just about everyone prognosticated, the Jan. 1, 2020, USDA Cattle report shows there are fewer cattle roaming about than a year ago. While the numbers will certainly be cussed and discussed at length, here are the official estimates released by USDA:
- All cattle and calves in the United States as of Jan. 1, 2020, totaled 94.4 million head, slightly below the 94.8 million head on Jan. 1, 2019.
- Beef cows, at 31.3 million head, were down 1% from a year ago. Milk cows, at 9.33 million head, were down slightly from the previous year. All cows and heifers that have calved, at 40.7 million head, were 1% below the 41.0 million head on Jan. 1, 2019.
- Beef replacement heifers, at 5.77 million head, were down 2% from a year ago. Milk replacement heifers, at 4.64 million head, were down 1% from the previous year. Other heifers, at 9.71 million head, were 1% above a year earlier. All heifers 500 pounds and over as of Jan. 1, 2020, totaled 20.1 million head, slightly below the 20.2 million head on Jan. 1, 2019.
- Steers weighing 500 pounds and over as of Jan. 1, 2020, totaled 16.7 million head, down 1% from Jan. 1, 2019.
- Bulls weighing 500 pounds and over as of Jan. 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% from January 1, 2019.
- 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. The 2019 calf crop in the United States was estimated at 36.1 million head, down 1% from last year’s calf crop.
Calf crop down 1%
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% of the total 2019 calf crop.
Cattle on Feed
Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for all feedlots totaled 14.7 million head on Jan. 1, 2020. The inventory is up 2% from the Jan. 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% of the total cattle on feed on Jan. 1, 2020, up slightly from the previous year.
Revisions
All inventory and calf crop estimates for July 1, 2018, Jan. 1, 2019, and July 1, 2019 were reviewed using calf crop, official slaughter, import and export data, and the relationship of new survey information to the prior surveys. Based on the findings of this review, July 1, 2018 all cattle and calves decreased by 0.2%. Jan. 1, 2019, all cattle and calves increased slightly, all cows and heifers that have calved decreased by 0.2%, and 2018 calf crop decreased by 0.2%. July 1, 2019 all cattle and calves were decreased by 0.1%, all cows and heifers that have calved decreased by 0.2%, and 2019 calf crop decreased by 0.7%.
Source: USDA, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.
