January 1 Cattle Inventory Down 2 Percent
All cattle and calves in the United States as of January 1, 2012 totaled 90.8 million head, 2 percent below the 92.7 million on January 1, 2011. This is the lowest January 1 inventory of all cattle and calves since the 88.1 million on hand in 1952.
All cows and heifers that have calved, at 39.1 million, were down 2 percent from the 40.0 million on January 1, 2011.
• Beef cows, at 29.9 million, were down 3 percent from January 1, 2011.
• Milk cows, at 9.2 million, were up 1 percent from January 1, 2011.
Other class estimates on January 1, 2012 and the change from January 1, 2011, are as follows:
• All heifers 500 pounds and over, 19.4 million, down 1 percent.
• Beef replacement heifers, 5.2 million, up 1 percent.
• Milk replacement heifers, 4.5 million, down 1 percent.
• Other heifers, 9.6 million, down 2 percent.
• Steers weighing 500 pounds and over, 16.1 million, down 2 percent.
• Bulls weighing 500 pounds and over, 2.1 million, down 5 percent.
• Calves under 500 pounds, 14.1 million, down 3 percent.
• Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter in all feedlots, 14.1 million, up 1 percent.
• The combined total of calves under 500 pounds, and other heifers and steers over 500 pounds outside of feedlots was 25.7 million, down 4 percent.
Calf Crop Down 1 Percent
The 2011 calf crop was estimated at 35.3 million head, down 1 percent from 2010. This is the smallest calf crop since the 34.9 million born during 1950. Calves born during the first half of 2011 are estimated at 25.7 million, down 1 percent from 2010.
Important to note that the Southern Plains areas impacted by drought saw a signficant reduction in beef cows that calved. Compared to 2011, Texas dropped 13%, Oklahoma 14% and New Mexico 11%.