HDR1012000130070719961500Sheep

Released July 19, 1996, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service
(NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture.  For
information on "Sheep" call Linda Simpson at (202) 720-3578, office hours 8:00
a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET.  For assistance with general agricultural statistics,
information about NASS, its products or services, contact the NASS Information
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.


    July 1, 1996, All Sheep and Lambs Totals 10.3 Million Head
             1996 Lamb Crop to Reach 5.20 Million Head

All sheep and lambs in the United States on July 1, 1996 totaled 10.3 million
head, 6 percent below July 1, 1995.  The number of breeding sheep and lambs on
hand July 1, 1996 reached 6.17 million head, 4 percent below July 1995.
Market sheep and lambs (including newborn lambs) at 4.13 million head, were 7
percent below last July.

Of the July 1 breeding herd, 5.08 million head were ewes one year old and
older, 235,000 head were rams one year old and older, and 860,000 head were
replacement lambs (including newborn lambs).


Comparing July 1995 and July 1996 market lambs by weight groups:


                         July 1995           July 1996
                              -- 1,000 Head --
          Under 65 Lbs.  2,750                    2,460
          65 - 84 Lbs.     860                      840
          85 - 105 Lbs.    480                      460
          Over 105 Lbs.    270                      270

          Total          4,360                    4,030


Region 3 (CO, MT, SD, UT, & WY) accounted for 34.3 percent of the total sheep
and lambs.  Region 2 (NM & TX) accounted for 21.4 percent, Region 1 (AZ, CA,
ID, NV, OR, & WA) for 17.5 percent, Region 4 (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, & OK)
for 13.7 percent, and Region 5 (all other states) accounted for 13.1 percent.

The 1996 Lamb Crop in the United States is expected to total 5.20 million
head, down 7 percent from the 1995 lamb crop of 5.60 million head.  Lambs born
during January through June 1996 reached 4.48 million head or 86 percent of
the yearly total.  An additional 725,000 head are expected to be born during
the period July through December 1996.


Mt An 5-2 (7-96)


                    All Sheep and Lambs Inventory:  By Region
                       and United States, July 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     :  1,815     1,800    99    1,160     1,150       655        650
             :
Region 2     :  2,325     2,205    95    1,570     1,515       755        690
             :
Region 3     :  4,070     3,530    87    2,140     1,920     1,930      1,610
             :
Region 4     :  1,395     1,415   101      765       780       630        635
             :
Region 5     :  1,295     1,350   104      815       805       480        545
             :
US           : 10,900    10,300    94    6,450     6,170     4,450      4,130
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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, July 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    :   980      950       40        40     140    160    1,160   1,150
            :
Region 2    : 1,315    1,225       60        60     195    230    1,570   1,515
            :
Region 3    : 1,830    1,625       70        55     240    240    2,140   1,920
            :
Region 4    :   625      650       30        30     110    100      765     780
            :
Region 5    :   625      625       45        50     145    130      815     805
            :
US          : 5,375    5,075      245       235     830    860    6,450   6,170
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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, July 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    :    240      190      130       75       635      15         650
            :
Region 2    :    440      160       40       20       660      30         690
            :
Region 3    :  1,115      230      150      100     1,595      15       1,610
            :
Region 4    :    315      160       90       50       615      20         635
            :
Region 5    :    350      100       50       25       525      20         545
            :
US          :  2,460      840      460      270     4,030     100       4,130
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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, July 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    :    200      180      180       85       645      10         655
            :
Region 2    :    500      175       45       25       745      10         755
            :
Region 3    :  1,435      230      135      105     1,905      25       1,930
            :
Region 4    :    330      165       80       40       615      15         630
            :
Region 5    :    285      110       40       15       450      30         480
            :
US          :  2,750      860      480      270     4,360      90       4,450
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.

                  Lamb Crop:  Per 100 Ewes 1+, Number by Region
                           and United States, 1996 1/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          :            :              :    Total    :   Breeding   : Lambs per
  Regions : Lambs Born :Lambs Expected:    Lamb     :   Ewes 1+    :100 Ewes 1+
    2/    : Jan-Jun 3/ :  Jul-Dec 4/  :    Crop     :    Jan 1     :   Jan 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          :   ------------------ 1,000 Head ------------------         Number
          :
Region 1  :     700          300           1,000           947          106
          :
Region 2  :     750          250           1,000         1,285           78
          :
Region 3  :   1,600           10           1,610         1,647           98
          :
Region 4  :     750           90             840           617          136
          :
Region 5  :     675           75             750           629          119
          :
US        :   4,475          725           5,200         5,125          101
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  Lamb crop is lambs born in the Native States and lambs docked or branded in
    the Western States.
2/  States includes 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.
3/  Lambs born alive between January 1, through June 30, 1996.
4/  Lambs expected to be born July through December 1996.


The next "Sheep" report will be released at 3:00 p.m. ET on November 15, 1996.


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To file a complaint, write the Secretary of Agriculture, USDA, Washington,
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an equal employment opportunity employer.

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