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January 1 Cattle Inventory Down 2 Percent 

All cattle and calves in the United States as of January 1, 2009, 

totaled 94.5 million head, 2 percent below the 96.0 million on 

January 1, 2008. All cows and heifers that have calved, at 41.0 

million, were down 2 percent from the 41.7 million on January 1, 

2008. Beef cows, at 31.7 million, were down 2 percent from 

January 1, 2008. Milk cows, at 9.33 million, were up 1 percent 

from January 1, 2008. Other class estimates on January 1, 2009, 

and the change from January 1, 2008, are as follows: all heifers 

500 pounds and over, 19.6 million, down 1 percent, beef 

replacement heifers, 5.53 million, down 2 percent, milk 

replacement heifers, 4.41 million, down slightly, other heifers, 

9.65 million, down 1 percent, steers weighing 500 pounds and 

over, 16.8 million, down 2 percent, bulls weighing 500 pounds 

and over, 2.18 million, down 1 percent, calves under 500 pounds, 

14.9 million, down 1 percent, cattle and calves on feed for 

slaughter in all feedlots, 13.9 million, down 7 percent. The 

combined total of calves under 500 pounds, and other heifers and 

steers over 500 pounds outside of feedlots was 27.5 million, up 1 

percent. 

Calf Crop Down 2 Percent

The 2008 calf crop was estimated at 36.1 million head, down 2 

percent from 2007. Calves born during the first half of the year 

are estimated at 26.3 million, down 1 percent from 2007. 

U.S. Cattle Operations Down 1 Percent 

The number of operations with cattle totaled 956,500 for 2008, 

down 1 percent from 2007. Beef cow operations in 2008, at 

757,000, were also down 1 percent from last year. The number 

of milk cow operations for 2008 totaled 67,000, down 4 percent 

from 2007. The three operation classes: cattle, beef cows, and 

milk cows, are classified into size groups independently. 

Therefore, it is possible to have more beef cow operations in a 

particular size group than cattle operations. As an example, an 

operator with 75 cattle and 40 beef cows would be classified in 

the 50-99 size group for cattle and 1-49 size group for beef cows. 

**Revisions**

All inventory and calf crop estimates for July 1, 2007, January 1, 

2008, and July 1, 2008 were reviewed using calf crop, official 

slaughter, import and export data, 2007 Census of Agriculture 

data, and the relationship of new survey information to the prior 

surveys. Based on the findings of this review, adjustments were 

made to the previously released inventory estimates. Revisions 

to estimates were made at the U.S. and State level. Cattle on 

Feed estimates were also revised based on information provided 

by the 2007 Census of Agriculture. Any further revisions to prior 

years due to the census will be provided in the historical 5-year 

publication.

Cattle and Calves Inventory: January 1, 2008 – 2009

Arizona United States Class 2008 2009 2008 2009 

1,000 Head 1,000 Head

All Cattle and Calves 1,000 1,020 96,035 94,491

 Cows that have calved 380 390 41,692 41,005

 Beef Cows that have calved 195 200 32,435 31,671

 Milk Cows that have calved 185 190 9,257 9,333

Heifers 500 pounds and over

 Beef Cow replacement 30 35 5,647 5,526

 Milk Cow replacement 50 50 4,415 4,410

 Other 15 20 9,793 9,650

Steers 500 pounds and over 375 370 17,163 16,774

Bulls 500 pounds and over 20 20 2,207 2,184

Calves under 500 pounds 130 135 15,118 14,943

Cattle on feed 368 358 14,827 13,851

 

Dollars Dollars 

Value per Head 1,110 970 990 874

 

1,000 Dollars 1,000 Dollars

Total Value 1,110,000 989,400 95,112,820 82,542,050

 

2007 2008 2007 1/ 2008 

Operations Number Number 

Cattle and Calves 7,700 2/ 965,510 956,500

Beef Cows 5,300 2/ 766,350 757,000

Milk Cows 180 2/ 69,995 67,000

 

1,000 Head 1,000 Head

Calf Crop 290 300 36,759 36,113

1/ Revised. 

2/ Estimates discontinned. 

Published Monthly 

Subscription to “Arizona Livestock” is free to reporters upon request and available for $10 

per year to non-reporters. Send request for order forms or address changes to USDA, 

NASS - Arizona Field Office, 230 N. 1st Avenue, Suite 303, Phoenix, Arizona 85003-1706. 

Releases are also available through our web site @ www.nass.usda.gov/az

 

Director 

Steve Manheimer

 Deputy Director 

Dave DeWalt

 Agricultural Statisticians: 

Maria Bautista 

Clare Jervis 

Curt Stock 

Jeff Lemmons 

Dianne Matta 

ARIZONA ANNUAL LIVESTOCK 

2009 --- Released March 13, 2009
Total red Meat Sets All Time Record High In 2008 

Total red meat production for the United States totaled 50.4 billion pounds 

in 2008, 3 percent higher than the previous year. Red meat includes beef, 

veal, pork, and lamb and mutton. Red meat production in commercial 

plants totaled 50.2 billion pounds. On-farm production totaled 137 million 

pounds. Beef production totaled 26.7 billion pounds, up 1 percent from the 

previous year. Veal production totaled 152 million pounds, up 4 percent 

from last year. Pork production, at 23.4 billion pounds, was 6 percent above 

the previous year. Lamb and mutton production totaled 180 million pounds, 

down 5 percent from 2007. 

There were 818 plants slaughtering under federal inspection on January 1, 

2009 compared with 807 last year. Of these, 630 plants slaughtered at least 

one head of cattle during 2008 with the 14 largest plants slaughtering 55 

percent of the total cattle killed. Hogs were slaughtered at 618 plants, with 

the 12 largest plants accounting for 55 percent of the total. Likewise, 6 of 

the 251 plants that slaughtered calves accounted for 55 percent of the total 

and 4 of the 496 plants that slaughtered sheep or lambs in 2008 comprised 

65 percent of the total head.

Commercial Red Meat Production: 2006 - 2008 1/ 

January-December 2/ Class 

2006 2007 2008 

Million Pounds

Arizona

Total Red Meat 386.5 405.9 408.3

United States

Beef 26,152 26,421 26,561

Veal 147 137 143

Pork 21,054 21,943 23,347

Lamb and Mutton 185 183 174

Total Red Meat 47,537 48,684 50,225

1/ Excludes slaughter on farms. 

2/ Based on packers; dressed weights. 

U.S. Hog Inventory Down 2 Percent

U.S. inventory of all hogs and pigs on December 1, 2008 was 66.7 million 

head. This was down 2 percent from both December 1, 2007 and 

September 1, 2008. 

 

Breeding inventory, at 6.08 million head, was down 2 percent from last year 

but up slightly from the previous quarter. Market hog inventory, at 60.6 

million head, was down 2 percent from both last year and last quarter. 

 

The September-November 2008 pig crop, at 28.4 million head, was down 4 

percent from 2007 but up 6 percent from 2006. Sows farrowing during this 

period totaled 2.99 million head, down 6 percent from 2007 but up 1 percent 

from 2006. The sows farrowed during this quarter represented 49 percent of 

the breeding herd. The average pigs saved per litter was 9.50 for the 

September-November 2008 period, compared to 9.28 last year. Pigs saved 

per litter by size of operation ranged from 7.50 for operations with 1-99 

hogs and pigs to 9.60 for operations with more than 5,000 hogs and pigs. 

 

U.S. hog producers intend to have 2.97 million sows farrow during the 

December 2008-February 2009 quarter, down 3 percent from the actual 

farrowings during the same period in 2008 but up 2 percent from 2007. 

Intended farrowings for March-May 2009, at 3.01 million sows, are down 2 

percent from 2008 and down 1 percent from 2007. 

 

The total number of hogs under contract owned by operations with over 

5,000 head, but raised by contractees, accounted for 43 percent of the total 

U.S. hog inventory, up from 39 percent last year. 

** Revisions **

All inventory and pig crop estimates for March 2007 through September 

2008 were reviewed using slaughter, death loss and current import and 

export data. Based on this review, adjustments of less than one half of one 

percent were made to the June 2008 total inventory and March-May 2007 

pig crop. An adjustment of less than two percent was made to the MarchMay 2008 pig crop while an adjustment of less than one percent was made 

to the September 2008 total inventory. 

Hogs and Pigs Inventory: December 1, 2007 – 2008 

Arizona United States Item 2007 2008 2007 2008

1,000 Head 1,000 Head

All Hogs and Pigs 175 165 68,177 66,708

 Breeding 17 17 6,233 6,081

 Market 158 148 61,944 60,627

Market Hogs and Pigs

 by Weight Groups

 Under 60 Lbs 62 56 22,545 21,297

 60-119 Lbs 32 31 15,173 15,096

 120-179 Lbs 32 31 12,658 12,716

 180 Lbs and over 32 30 11,569 11,518

Annual Farrowings 1/

 Sows farrowing 32 32 2,905 3,071

 Pigs per litter 9.47 9.78 9.09 9.24

 Pig Crop 303 313 112,874 114,704

Number Number

Operations with Hogs 

 and Pigs 380 2/ 75,450 73,150

Dollars Dollars

Value per Head 76 91 73 87

1,000 Dollars 1,000 Dollars

Total Value 13,300 15,015 4,986,206 5,833,608

1/ December 1, preceding year through November. 

2/ Estimates discontinued. 

United States Honey Production Up 8 Percent

Honey production in 2008 from producers with five or more colonies totaled 161 

million pounds, up 8 percent from 2007. There were 2.30 million colonies 

producing honey in 2008, down 6 percent from 2007. Yield per colony averaged 

69.9 pounds, up 15 percent from the 60.7 pounds in 2007. Colonies which 

produced honey in more than one State were counted in each State where the 

honey was produced. Therefore, yields per colony may be understated, but total 

production would not be impacted. Colonies were not included if honey was not 

harvested. Producer honey stocks were 50.4 million pounds on December 15, 

2008, down 4 percent from a year earlier. Stocks held by producers exclude 

stocks held under the commodity loan program. 

 

Honey Prices Record High 

Honey prices increased to a record high during 2008 to 141.0 cents, up 31 

percent from 107.7 cents in 2007. U.S. and State level prices reflect the portions 

of honey sold through retail, cooperatives, and private channels. Prices for each 

color class are derived by weighting the quantities sold for each marketing 

channel. Honey prices for 2008 were up from the previous year for all color 

classes and marketing channels. Prices for the 2007 crop reflect honey sold in 

2007 and 2008. Some 2007 crop honey was sold in 2008, which caused some 

revisions to the 2007 crop prices. 

Honey Production: 2007 – 2008 

Arizona United States Item 2007 2008 2007 2008 

Number of Honey 

Producing Colonies 1/ 

(1,000 Colonies) 30 25 2,443 2,301

Yield per Colony 

(Pounds) 64 64 60.7 69.9

Production 

(1,000 Pounds) 1,920 1,600 148,341 160,861

Stocks Dec. 15 2/ 

(1,000 Pounds) 902 336 52,635 50,455

Average Price per Pound 

(Cents) 126 125 107.7 141.0

Value of Production 

(1,000 Dollars) 2,419 2,000 159,763 226,814

1/ For producers with 5 or more colonies. 

2/ Stocks held by producers. 
Total Sheep and Lamb Inventory Down 3 Percent

All sheep and lamb inventory in the United States on January 

1, 2009, totaled 5.75 million head, down 3 percent from 2008. 

 

Breeding sheep inventory decreased to 4.25 million head on 

January 1, 2009, down 4 percent from 4.43 million head on 

January 1, 2008. Ewes one year old and older, at 3.40 million 

head, were 4 percent below last year. 

 

Market sheep and lambs on January 1, 2009, totaled 1.50 

million head, down 1 percent from January 1, 2008. Market 

lambs comprised 95 percent of the total marketings. Twentythree percent were lambs under 65 pounds, 11 percent were 65 

- 84 pounds, 21 percent were 85 - 105 pounds, and 39 percent 

were over 105 pounds. Market sheep comprised the remaining 

5 percent of total marketings. 

The 2008 lamb crop of 3.71 million head, was down 5 percent 

from 2007. The 2008 lambing rate was 105 lambs per 100 

ewes one year old and older on January 1, 2008, down 3 

percent from 2007. 

 

Shorn wool production in the United States during 2008 was 

33.0 million pounds, down 5 percent from 2007. Sheep and 

lambs shorn totaled 4.43 million head, down 5 percent from 

2007. The average price paid for wool sold in 2008 was $0.99 

per pound for a total value of 32.5 million dollars, up 7 percent 

from 30.2 million dollars in 2007. 

The number of operations with sheep totaled 82,330 for 2008, 

down 1 percent from 2007. Of all sheep operations that 

include breeding sheep, 92.5 percent were comprised of 1-99 

head, 6.2 percent had 100-499 head, and the remaining 1.3 

percent were operations with 500 head or more. Operations 

with 1-99 head account for 32.6 percent of the inventory, 100-

499 head account for 22.7 percent of the inventory, and 500+ 

head account for 44.7 percent of the inventory. 

Total Goat and Kid Inventory Down 2 Percent

All goat inventory in the United States on January 1, 2009, 

totaled 3.07 million head, down 2 percent from 2008. 

Breeding goat inventory totaled 2.54 million head down 2 

percent from 2008. All market goats and kids totaled 528,000 

head, up 1 percent from a year ago. On January 1, 2009 meat 

and all other goats totaled 2.55 million head, down 2 percent 

from 2008. Milk goat inventory increased 4 percent to 

335,000 head while angora goats were down 10 percent 

totaling 185,000 head. The 2008 kid crop totaled 1.96 million 

head for all goats, down 2 percent from 2007. 

U.S. Chicken and Egg Production Highlights 

U.S. Average Number of Layers Down 2 Percent: Layer 

numbers during 2008 averaged 340 million, down 2 percent 

from the year earlier. The annual average production per layer 

on hand in 2008 was 266 eggs, down 1 percent from 2007. 

 

U.S. Egg Production Down 1 Percent: Egg production during 

the year ending November 30, 2008 totaled 90.2 million eggs, 

down 1 percent from 2007. Table egg production, at 76.8 

million eggs, was down 1 percent from the previous year. 

Hatching egg production, at 13.3 million eggs, was down 1 

percent from 2007. 

 

U.S. December 1 Inventory Numbers: The total number of 

chickens on hand on December 1, 2008 (excluding commercial 

broilers) was 446 million birds, down 3 percent from last year. 

 

U.S. Total Value: The total value of all chickens on December 

1, 2008 was $1.51 billion, up 11 percent from December 1, 

2007. The average value increased from $2.95 per bird on 

December 1, 2007, to $3.38 per bird on December 1, 2008. 

All Sheep and Lambs Inventory: January 1, 2008 - 2009 

Arizona United States Class 2008 2009 2008 2009 

1,000 Head 1,000 Head 

All Sheep and Lambs 155.0 150.0 5,950.0 5,747.0

Breeding Sheep and Lambs 90.0 90.0 4,431.5 4,247.0

 Ewes 76.0 75.0 3,540.0 3,403.5

 Rams 6.0 6.0 194.5 195.0

 Replacement Lambs 8.0 9.0 697.0 648.5

Market Sheep and Lambs 65.0 60.0 1,518.5 1,500.0

 Sheep 6.0 5.0 82.5 81.0

 Lambs 59.0 55.0 1,436.0 1,419.0

 under 65 Pounds 17.0 15.0 350.7 349.9

 65 to 84 Pounds 6.0 6.0 197.5 170.4

 85 to 105 Pounds 13.0 13.0 355.9 314.0

 over 105 Pounds 23.0 21.0 531.9 584.7

Dollars Dollars 

Value per Head 146 153 138 133

1,000 Dollars 1,000 Dollars 

Total Value 22,630 22,950 823,424 765,194

 2007 1/ 2008 2007 2008 

Number Number 

Operations with Sheep and 

 Lambs 5,000 2/ 83,130 82,330

1,000 Head 1,000 Head 

Lamb Crop 50.0 47.0 3,895.0 3,710.0

1/ Revised. 

2/ Estimates discontined. 

Goat Inventory: January 1, 2008 - 2009 

Arizona United States Item 2008 2009 2008 2009 

1,000 Head 1,000 Head 

Angora 25,000 24,000 205,000 185,000

Milk 2,000 2,000 323,000 335,000

Meat & Other 13,000 12,000 2,590,000 2,550,000

Dollars Dollars 

Value per Head (Angora) 75.00 85.00 74.80 83.00

1,000 Dollars 1,000 Dollars 

Total Value 1,875 2,040 13,205 13,318

Wool: Production, Price, and Value, Arizona and United States, 2007 - 2008 

Arizona United States Item 2007 2008 2007 2008 

1,000 Head 1,000 Head 

Sheep Shorn 120.0 120.0 4,657.0 4,434.0

Pounds Pounds

Weight per Fleece 6.3 6.3 7.5 7.4

1,000 Pounds 1,000 Pounds 

Production 750 750 34,723 32,963

Dollars Dollars 

Price Per Pound 0.34 0.30 0.87 0.99

1,000 Dollars 1,000 Dollars 

Value 1/ 255 225 30,242 32,486

1/ Production multiplied by marketing year average price. U.S. value is summation of States 

value. 

Mohair: Production, Price, and Value, Arizona and United States, 2007 - 2008 

Arizona United States Item 2007 2008 2007 2008 

1,000 Head 1,000 Head 

Goats Clipped 22,000 21,000 216,500 193,500

Pounds Pounds

Average Clip per Goat 5.7 5.2 6.3 6.1

1,000 Pounds 1,000 Pounds 

Production 125 110 1,357 1,184

Dollars Dollars 

Price per Pound 2.00 1.00 3.64 3.31

1,000 Dollars 1,000 Dollars 

Value 1/ 250 110 4,944 3,914

1/ Production multiplied by marketing year average price. U.S. value is summation of States 

value. 
United States Department of Agriculture 

NASS – Arizona Field Office 

230 N. 1st Avenue, Suite 303 

Phoenix, AZ 85003-1706 

------------------------------------ 

OFFICIAL BUSINESS 

Penalty For Private Use $300 

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED 

www.nass.usda.gov/

Farms and Land in Farms Decline Slightly in 2008 

The number of farms in the United States in 2008 is estimated at 2.2 

million, 0.2 percent fewer than in 2007. Total land in farms, at 919.9 

million acres, decreased 1.56 million acres, or 0.2 percent, from 2007. 

The average farm size was 418 acres, unchanged from the previous year. 

The decline in the number of farms and land in farms reflects a 

continuing consolidation in farming operations and diversion of 

agricultural land to nonagricultural uses. 

 

Farm numbers and land in farms are broken down into five economic 

sales classes. Farms and ranches are classified into these "sales classes" 

by summing their sales of agricultural products and government program 

payments. Sales class breaks occur at $10,000, $100,000, $250,000, and 

$500,000. 

 

Farm numbers declined slightly in the $1,000-$9,999, $10,000-$99,999, 

and $100,000-$249,999 sales classes. Farm numbers rose slightly in the 

two largest sales classes. Because of strong commodity prices and rising 

value of sales many farms and ranches near the top of their sales class in 

2007 may have moved into the next higher sales class in 2008 without 

expanding their operations. 

The largest percentage changes from 2007 occurred in the smallest and 

largest sales classes. Farm numbers declined 0.5 percent, to 1.22 million 

farms, in the $1,000-$9,999 sales class. Meanwhile, the number of farms 

in the $500,000 and over sales class increased by 4.8 percent to 126,000 

farms. The number of farms with less than $100,000 in sales fell 0.6 

percent from 2007 while the number of farms with $100,000 or more in 

sales rose 1.6 percent. 

 

Land in farms also shifted from lower sales classes to higher sales 

classes. In the $1,000-$9,999 sales class, land in farms dropped 1.1 

percent, to 106.7 million acres, while land operated by farms in the 

largest sales class, $500,000 & over in sales, increased 2.4 percent, to 

293.1 million acres. 

 

The average farm size was unchanged in 2008. However, average farm 

sizes declined in some of the sales classes. This may have been due to 

smaller farms moving up to higher sales classes. 

Number of Farms, Land in Farms, and Average Farm Size: By Western State and United States, 2006-2008 

Western Number of Farms Land in Farms Average Farm Size 

States 2006 2007 2008 2006 2007 2008 2006 2007 2008 

Number 1,000 Acres Acres 

AK 640 680 680 900 890 890 1,406 1,309 1,309

AZ 10,000 15,600 15,600 26,100 26,100 26,100 2,610 1,673 1,673

CA 76,000 81,000 81,500 26,300 25,400 25,400 346 314 312

CO 30,700 36,900 36,500 30,700 31,400 31,300 1,000 851 858

HI 5,500 7,500 7,500 1,300 1,120 1,110 236 149 148

ID 25,000 25,400 25,200 11,800 11,500 11,400 472 453 452

MT 28,100 29,500 29,500 60,100 60,900 60,800 2,139 2,064 2,061

NV 3,000 3,100 3,100 6,300 5,900 5,900 2,100 1,903 1,903

NM 17,500 21,000 20,600 44,500 43,200 43,000 2,543 2,057 2,087

OR 39,300 38,600 38,600 17,100 16,400 16,400 435 425 425

UT 15,100 16,700 16,500 11,600 11,100 11,100 768 665 673

WA 34,000 39,300 39,500 15,100 14,900 14,800 444 379 375

WY 9,100 11,000 11,000 34,400 30,200 30,100 3,780 2,745 2,736

Total West 293,940 326,280 325,780 286,200 279,010 278,300 974 14,987 15,012

 

US 2,089,790 2,204,950 2,200,000 932,430 921,460 919,900 446 418 418

PRESORTED STANDARD

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USDA 

PERMIT NO. G-38