HDR1012000130071115961500Sheep                                                  
                                                                                
Released November 15, 1996, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service     
(NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture.  For     
information on "Sheep" call James Hand at (202) 690-3236, office hours 7:30     
a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET.  For assistance with general agricultural statistics,     
information about NASS, its products or services, contact the Agricultural      
Statistics Hotline at 1-800-727-9540 or E-mail: NASS@NASS.USDA.GOV. The         
"Sheep" U.S. Summary is available on Autofax, (202) 720-2000, report 3400.      
See page 6.                                                                     
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
        November 1, 1996, All Sheep and Lambs Totals 8.45 Million Head          
                                                                                
All sheep and lambs in the United States on November 1, 1996 totaled            
8.45 million head, 5 percent below November 1, 1995.  The number of breeding    
sheep and lambs on hand November 1, 1996 reached 5.89 million head, 5 percent   
below November 1, 1996.  Market sheep and lambs (including newborns) at         
2.56 million head were 6 percent below November 1, 1995.                        
                                                                                
                                                                                
Of the November 1 breeding herd, 4.79 million head were ewes one year old and   
older, 220,000 head were rams one year old and older, and 885,000 head were     
replacement lambs (including newborn lambs).                                    
                                                                                
                                                                                
Of the total market lambs (including newborn lambs), 15.3 percent were under    
65 pounds, 33.1 percent were 65 to 84 pounds, 34.7 percent were 85 to           
105 pounds and 16.9 percent were over 105 pounds on November 1.                 
                                                                                
                                                                                
Region 3 (CO, MT, SD, UT, & WY) accounted for 32.7 percent of the total sheep   
and lambs.  Region 1 (AZ, CA, ID, NV, OR, & WA) accounted for 21.4 percent      
followed closely by Region 2 (NM & TX) with 20.7 percent.  Region 4 (IA, KS,    
MN, MO, NE, ND, & OK) had 13.4 percent and the remainder was in Region 5 (all   
other States).                                                                  
                                                                                
                                                                                
Mt An 5-2 (11-96)                                                               
                                                                                
                                                                                
                    All Sheep and Lambs Inventory:  By Region                   
                     and United States, November 1, 1995-96                     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             :    All Sheep     :  96  :  Breeding Sheep  :    Market Sheep     
             :    and Lambs     : as % :    and Lambs     :      and Lambs      
  Regions 1/ :------------------:  of  :----------------------------------------
             :  1995   :  1996  :  95  :  1995  :  1996   :   1995   :   1996   
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             :    1,000 Head      Pct    ------------ 1,000 Head ------------   
             :                                                                  
Region 1     :  1,900    1,805     95    1,180     1,130       720        675   
             :                                                                  
Region 2     :  1,875    1,745     93    1,505     1,440       370        305   
             :                                                                  
Region 3     :  3,065    2,760     90    2,045     1,860     1,020        900   
             :                                                                  
Region 4     :  1,100    1,130    103      695       705       405        425   
             :                                                                  
Region 5     :    980    1,010    103      775       755       205        255   
             :                                                                  
US           :  8,920    8,450     95    6,200     5,890     2,720      2,560   
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  States included in regions as follows:  1 - AZ, CA, ID, NV, OR, & WA; 2 - NM
    & TX; 3 - CO, MT, SD, UT, & WY; 4 - IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, & OK; 5 - all   
    other States.                                                               
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                 Breeding Sheep and Lambs Inventory:  By Region                 
                      and United States, November 1 1995-96                     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            : Breeding Sheep-One Year Old & Older :             :Total Breeding 
            :-------------------------------------: Replacement :   Sheep and   
 Regions 1/ :      Ewes       :       Rams        :    Lambs    :     Lambs     
            :-------------------------------------------------------------------
            :  1995  :  1996  :  1995   :  1996   : 1995 : 1996 : 1995  : 1996  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            :                            1,000 Head                             
            :                                                                   
Region 1    :   990      915       40        40     150    175    1,180   1,130 
            :                                                                   
Region 2    : 1,250    1,170       55        55     200    215    1,505   1,440 
            :                                                                   
Region 3    : 1,705    1,535       60        50     280    275    2,045   1,860 
            :                                                                   
Region 4    :   580      580       30        30      85     95      695     705 
            :                                                                   
Region 5    :   595      585       45        45     135    125      775     755 
            :                                                                   
US          : 5,120    4,785      230       220     850    885    6,200   5,890 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  States included in regions as follows:  1 - AZ, CA, ID, NV, OR, & WA; 2 - NM
    & TX; 3 - CO, MT, SD, UT, & WY; 4 - IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, & OK; 5 - all   
    other States.                                                               
                                                                                
                                                                                
                  Market Sheep and Lambs Inventory:  By Region                  
                       and United States, November 1, 1996                      
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            :                 Market Lambs                 :        :           
            :----------------------------------------------:        :  Market   
 Regions 1/ :  Under  :   65    :   85   :  Over  :        : Market : Sheep and 
            :   65    :   to    :   to   :  105   : Total  : Sheep  :   Lambs   
            : Pounds  : 84 lbs  :105 lbs : Pounds :        :        :           
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            :                            1,000 Head                             
            :                                                                   
Region 1    :   140       195      250       60       645      30         675   
            :                                                                   
Region 2    :    50       160       60       30       300       5         305   
            :                                                                   
Region 3    :    40       245      380      220       885      15         900   
            :                                                                   
Region 4    :    95       135      100       90       420       5         425   
            :                                                                   
Region 5    :    55        85       70       20       230      25         255   
            :                                                                   
US          :   380       820      860      420     2,480      80       2,560   
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  States included in regions as follows:  1 - AZ, CA, ID, NV, OR, &           
    WA; 2 - NM & TX; 3 - CO, MT, SD, UT, & WY; 4 - IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, & OK;
    5 - all other States.                                                       
                                                                                
                                                                                
                  Market Sheep and Lambs Inventory:  By Region                  
                       and United States, November 1, 1995                      
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            :                 Market Lambs                 :        :           
            :----------------------------------------------:        :  Market   
  Region 1/ :  Under  :   65    :   85   :  Over  :        : Market : Sheep and 
            :   65    :   to    :   to   :  105   : Total  : Sheep  :   Lambs   
            : Pounds  : 84 lbs  :105 lbs : Pounds :        :        :           
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            :                            1,000 Head                             
            :                                                                   
Region 1    :   180       170      200      160       710      10         720   
            :                                                                   
Region 2    :    70       140      110       35       355      15         370   
            :                                                                   
Region 3    :    40       195      475      295     1,005      15       1,020   
            :                                                                   
Region 4    :    75       115      130       80       400       5         405   
            :                                                                   
Region 5    :    60        55       50       20       185      20         205   
            :                                                                   
US          :   425       675      965      590     2,655      65       2,720   
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  States included in regions as follows:  1 - AZ, CA, ID, NV, OR, & WA; 2 - NM
    & TX; 3 - CO, MT, SD, UT, & WY; 4 - IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, & OK; 5 - all   
    other States.                                                               
                                                                                
                                                                                
             Reliability of November 1 Sheep Estimates                          
                                                                                
Survey Procedures:  A random sample of U. S. producers was                      
                        surveyed to provide data for these estimates.  Survey   
procedures ensured that all sheep producers, regardless of size, had a          
chance to be included in the survey.  Large producers were sampled more         
heavily than small operations.  About 3,000 operators were contacted during     
the first half of November by mail, telephone and face-to-face personal         
interview.  Regardless of when operators responded, they were asked to report   
inventories as of November 1.                                                   
                                                                                
                                                                                
Estimation Procedures: These sheep estimates were prepared by the               
                       Agricultural Statistics Board.  National and State       
survey data were reviewed for reasonableness and with estimates from past       
years.  A projected balance sheet for calendar year 1996 was also               
used.  The balance sheet begins with the previous inventory estimate, adds      
estimates of births and imports, and subtracts estimates of slaughter, exports  
and deaths.  This indicated ending inventory level is compared with the         
Agricultural Statistics Board estimate for reasonableness.                      
                                                                                
                                                                                
Revision Policy: Revisions to previous estimates are made to                    
                 improve the current estimate. Previous year estimates are      
subject to revision when current estimates are made.  Estimates will            
also be reviewed after data from the Department of Commerce's                   
five-year Census of Agriculture are available.  No revisions will               
be made after that date.                                                        
                                                                                
                                                                                
The next "Sheep" report will be released at 3:00 p.m. ET on January 31, 1997.   
                                                                                
                                                                                
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disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program         
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Office of Communications at (202) 720-5881 (voice) or (202) 720-7808 (TDD).     
                                                                                
To file a complaint, write the Secretary of Agriculture, USDA, Washington,      
D.C., 20250, or call (202) 720-7327 (voice) or (202) 720-1127 (TDD).  USDA is   
an equal employment opportunity employer.                                       
                                                                                
                                                                                
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          USDA Announces Agricultural Outlook Forum  97                         
                    February 24 and 25, 1997                                    
              Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, D.C.                             
                                                                                
                                                                                
An era of freer markets under the 1996 Farm Bill has begun.  For an expert      
assessment of the impact, attend the Outlook Forum.  Top speakers will discuss  
the 1997 farm outlook, prospects to 2005, risk management, concentration        
issues, market stability, world food security, marketing high-valued exports    
and more.  Plan now to attend.  For program and registration details, check     
Forum home page, call (202) 720-3050 or dial (202) 219-0296 from your fax       
machine and request document 66666.  Send e-mail to agforum@oce.usda.gov.       
                                                                                
                                                                                
Get news from the Forum.  Can't attend?  After the Forum, download speeches     
from the Internet.  Or, call 1-800-999-6779 to place an advance order for the   
printed proceedings (YCON-97) or new long term projections to 2005              
(WAOB-97-1).                                                                    
                                                                                
                                                                                
  Ag Forum home page: http://www.usda.gov/oce/waob/agforum.htm