ARIZONA ANNUAL LIVESTOCK

Arizona Agricultural Statistics Service

and University of Arizona, College of Agriculture

3003 N Central Avenue, Suite 950

Phoenix, Arizona 85012-2994

Phone: (602) 280-8850 Fax: (602) 280-8897

MARCH 9, 1998

JANUARY 1 CATTLE INVENTORY

DOWN 2 PERCENT

All cattle and calves in the United States

as of January 1, 1998, totaled 99.5 million

head, 2 percent below the 101.5 million on

January 1, 1997 and 4 percent below the

103.5 million two years ago. All cows and

heifers that have calved, at 42.9 million,

were 2 percent below the 43.6 million on

January 1, 1997 and 4 percent below the

44.6 million two years ago. Beef cows, at

33.7 million, were down 2 percent from

January 1, 1997 and 4 percent below two

years ago. Milk cows, at 9.19 million,

were down 1 percent from January 1, 1997

and 2 percent below two years ago. Other

class estimates on January 1, 1998, and

the changes from January 1 last year and

two years ago, respectively, are as follows:

 All heifers 500 pounds and over, 19.7

million, down 3 percent and down 2

percent; Beef replacement heifers, 5.75

million, down 5 percent and down 7

percent; Milk replacement heifers, 3.98

million, down 2 percent and down 3

percent; Other heifers, 10.0 million, down

2 percent and up 1 percent; Steers

weighing 500 pounds and over, 17.2

million, down 1 percent and down 3

percent; Bulls weighing 500 pounds and

over, 2.27 million, down 3 percent and

down 5 percent; Calves under 500

pounds, 17.4 million, down 3 percent and

down 6 percent, and All cattle and

calves on feed for slaughter, 13.6 million,

up 3 percent and up 5 percent.

CALF CROP DOWN 3 PERCENT

The 1997 calf crop was estimated at 38.7

million, down 3 percent from 1996 and

down 4 percent from 1995. Calves born

during the first half of the year are

estimated at 28.5 million, down 3 percent

from both 1996 and 1995.

CATTLE OPERATIONS DOWN 2

PERCENT

The number of operations with cattle

totaled 1,167,910 during 1997, down 2

percent from 1996 and 4 percent below

1995. Beef cow operations in 1997 were

down 2 percent from 1996 and 3 percent

below 1995. Milk cow operations were 8

percent below last year and 15 percent

below two years ago. 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 the 1-49 size group for beef cows.

CATTLE AND CALVES INVENTORY JANUARY 1, 1997 AND 1998

ITEM

ARIZONA UNITED STATES

1997 1998 1997 1998

1,000 head

All Cattle and Calves 790 800 101,460 99,501

 Cows that have calved 320 340 43,580 42,874

 Beef Cows that have calved 200 215 34,271 33,683

 Milk Cows that have calved 120 125 9,309 9,191

Heifers 500 pounds and over 85 90 20,311 19,746

 Beef Cow replacement 35 38 6,056 5,745

 Milk Cow replacement 20 26 4,057 3,982

 Other 30 26 10,199 10,018

Steers 500 pounds and over 240 240 17,320 17,197

Bulls 500 pounds and over 20 20 2,339 2,266

Calves under 500 pounds 125 110 17,909 17,418

Cattle and Calves on feed 1/ 233 245 13,216 13,618

Dollars

Value per head 580 660 525 602

1,000 dollars

Total value 458,200 528,000 53,242,172 59,933,705

1996 1997 1996 1997

Number

Operations

 Cattle 4,000 3,900 1,192,520 1,167,910

 Beef Cows 2,400 2,400 898,680 882,600

 Milk Cows 300 290 126,800 116,680

1,000 head

Calf Crop 275 275 39,776 38,718

 1/ Total cattle on feed included in other classes.

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 Arizona Agricultural Statistics

Service, 3003 N Central Avenue, Suite 950, Phoenix, Arizona 85012-2994.

Wilbur Sherman, State Statistician

Tim Payne, Agricultural Statistician

Ty Kalaus, Agricultural Statistician

Clare Jervis, Agricultural Statistician
RED MEAT, PORK PRODUCTION SET RECORD HIGHS

Commercial red meat production for the United States totaled 3.84

billion pounds in January, just above January's previous record of

3.82 billion pounds, set in 1996. January 1997 contained 23

weekdays (including two holidays) and four Saturdays. January 1998

contained 22 weekdays (including two holidays) and five Saturdays.

Beef production, at 2.16 billion pounds, was down 3 percent from the

previous year. Cattle slaughter totaled 3.04 million head, down 6

percent from a year earlier. The average live weight was up 37

pounds from the previous year at 1,197 pounds. Veal production

totaled 24.0 million pounds, down 23 percent from a year earlier. Calf

slaughter totaled 128,000 head, down 13 percent from the previous

year. The average live weight was down 39 pounds from last year to

305 pounds. Pork production totaled 1.63 billion pounds, up 12

percent from the previous year and 5 percent higher than the previous

high for January set in 1996. Hog kill totaled 8.59 million head, up 11

percent from a year earlier. The average live weight was up 2 pounds

from the previous year at 259 pounds. Lamb and mutton production,

at 21.0 million pounds, was up 6 percent from the previous year.

Sheep slaughter totaled 309,500 head, up 2 percent from last year.

The average live weight was 136 pounds, 5 pounds heavier than a

year ago.

COMMERCIAL RED MEAT PRODUCTION 1996 AND 1997 1/

KIND Dec.

1996

Dec.

1997

January-December

1996 1997

1,000 lbs

ARIZONA

Total Red Meat 27,600 26,400 335,931 321,600

Million lbs

UNITED STATES

Beef 1,950 2,025 25,421 25,401

Veal 31 26 368 323

Pork 1.429 1,641 17,084 17,245

Lamb and Mutton 22 23 265 257

Total Red Meat 3,433 3,715 43,138 43,226

 1/ Excludes slaughter on farms.

U.S. HOG INVENTORY UP 7 PERCENT

U.S. inventory of all hogs and pigs on December 1, 1997, was 59.9

million head. This was 7 percent above December 1996 but 1 percent

below September 1, 1997. Breeding inventory, at 6.98 million head,

is up 5 percent from December 1, 1996 and up 1 percent from

September 1, 1997. Market hog inventory, at 52.9 million head was

7 percent above last year but 1 percent below last quarter. The

September-November 1997 U.S. pig crop, at 25.3 million head, was

9 percent more than 1996 and 8 percent more than 1995. Sows

farrowing during this period totaled 2.93 million head, 8 percent above

last year. The sows farrowed during this quarter represented 42

percent of the breeding herd. The average pigs per litter continues to

increase at a rapid pace, with an average of 8.63 pigs saved per litter

for the September-November period. Last year the litter rate

averaged 8.52 pigs per litter. Pigs saved per litter by size of operation

ranged from 7.40 for operations with 1-99 hogs to 8.90 for operations

with more than 5,000 hogs and pigs. U.S. hog producers intend to

have 2.91 million sows farrow during the December 1997-February

1998 quarter, 9 percent above the actual farrowings during the same

period last year, and 6 percent higher than 1996. Intended

farrowings for March-May 1998, at 3.04 million sows, are 3 percent

above both the 1997 and the 1996 period. The number of hog

operations with hogs totaled 138,690 during 1997, down 11 percent

from last year and 24 percent below 1995. Places with 2,000 or more

hogs on hand accounted for 4 percent of the operations and 55

percent of the inventory. This is the second time operations with

inventories over 2,000 head have controlled over 50 percent of the

total inventory. The number of operations with over 5,000 head of

inventory, at 1,520, accounted for 35 percent of the total inventory.

The total number of hogs under contract, owned by these over 5,000

head operations, but raised by contractees, accounted for 25 percent

of the total U.S. hog inventory.

HOGS AND PIGS INVENTORY

DECEMBER 1, 1996 AND 1997

ITEM

ARIZONA UNITED STATES

1996 1997 1996 1997

1,000 head

All Hogs and Pigs 150 145 56,141 59,920

 Breeding 20 15 6,667 6,979

 Market 130 130 49,474 52,941

Market Hogs and Pigs by Weight Groups

 Under 60 pounds 65 42 18,439 19,922

 60-119 pounds 24 33 12,221 13,028

 120-179 pounds 21 28 10,291 10,884

 180 lbs and over 20 27 8,522 9,107

Farrowing Dec. 1/ - Feb. 2/

 Sows farrowing 35 36 2,757 2,669

 Pigs per litter 8.46 8.53 8.40 8.61

 Pig Crop 296 307 23,160 22,990

Farowings March - May

 Sows farrowing 2,955 2,941

 Pigs per litter 8.47 8.66

 Pig Crop 25,040 25,460

Farrowings June - August

 Sows farrowing 2,758 2,899

 Pigs per litter 8.56 8.70

 Pig Crop 23,597 25,220

Forrowings Sept. - Nov.

 Sows farrowing 2,717 2,931

 Pigs per litter 8.52 8.63

 Pig crop 23,159 25,302

Number

Operations with Hogs

and Pigs 400 400 156,250 138,690

Dollars

Value per head 200 88 94 81

1,000 dollars

Total Value 15,000 12,760 5,283,503 4,880,398

 1/ December 1 preceding year. 2/ Annual farrowings for Arizona

(December-November).

UNITED STATES HONEY PRODUCTION DOWN 3 PERCENT

Honey production in 1997 from producers with five or more colonies

totaled 192 million pounds, down 3 percent from 1996. There were

2.58 million colonies producing honey in 1997, compared with 2.56

million in 1996. Yield per colony averaged 74.6 pounds, down 2.7

pounds from the 77.3 pounds in 1996. Colonies which produced in

more than one State were counted in each State and yields per colony

may therefore be understated. Colonies were not counted if honey

was not harvested. Producer honey stocks were 69.1 million pounds

on December 15, 1997, up 47 percent from a year earlier. 

Prices for the 1997 crop averaged 75.2 cents per pound, down 15

percent from the previous record price of 88.8 cents in 1996. Prices

are based on retail sales by producers and sales to private

processors and co-ops. At the State level, prices reflect the portions

of honey sold retail, coop and private. At the U.S. level, prices for

each color are derived by weighting State average prices by the State

quantities sold for each marketing channel. Coop and Private prices

were lower for all color classes in 1997. Prices for 1996 reflect sales

of the 1996 honey crop in 1996 and 1997.

HONEY PRODUCTION, DECEMBER 1996 AND 1997

ITEM` ARIZONA UNITED STATES

1996 1997 1996 1997

Number of HoneyProducing Colonies

 (000) colonies) 32 32 2,564 2,579

Yield per colony

 (pounds) 60 80 77.3 74..6

Production

 (000 lbs.) 1,920 2,560 198,197 192,393

Stocks Dec. 15

 (000 lbs) 307 1,024 46,967 49,059

Average price per

 lb (Cents) 85 72 88.8 75.2

Value of Production 

 (000 dols) 1,632 1,843 175,999 144,680
TOTAL SHEEP AND LAMB INVENTORY

DOWN 4 PERCENT

All sheep and lamb inventory in the United

States on January 1, 1998, totaled 7.62

million head, down 4 percent from 1997 and

10 percent below two years ago. Inventory

has slowly declined since 1942 when all

sheep and lambs reached it's peak of 56.2

million head. Breeding sheep inventory

declined to 5.54 million head on January 1,

1998, down 5 percent from January 1,

1997's 5.85 million head. Ewes one year old

and older, at 4.53 million head, were 6

percent below last year. Market sheep and

lambs onJanuary 1, 1998, totaled 2.08

million head, down slightly from January 1,

1997. Market lambs comprised 96 percent

of the total. Twenty-three percent were

lambs under 65 pounds, 15 percent were 65

- 84 pounds, 30 percent 85 - 105 pounds, 28

percent were over 105 pounds, and 4

percent were market sheep. The 1997 lamb

crop of 5.24 million head was down 1

percent from 1996. This compares with the

previous record low of 5.28 million head set

a year ago. The 1997 lambing rate was 108

per 100 ewes one year old and older on

January 1, 1997, compared with 103 in 1996.

The number of operations with sheep

during 1997 totaled 74,710, down 4 percent

from 1996 and 8 percent from 1995.

SHEEP AND LAMBS INVENTORY JANUARY 1, 1997 AND 1998

ITEM

ARIZONA UNITED STATES

1997 1998 1997 1998

1,000 head

All Sheep and Lambs 125.0 120.0 7,937.1 7,616.0

 Breeding Sheep and Lambs 50.0 53.0 5,849.9 5,536.7

 Ewes one year old and older 44.0 45.0 4,836.1 4,526.9

 Rams one year old and older 2.0 2.0 219.7 205.6

 Replacement Lambs under one year 4.0 6.0 794.1 804.2

Market Sheep and Lambs 75.0 67.0 2,087.2 2,079.3

Market Lambs by Weight Groups 73.0 66.0 2,002.3 1,995.3

 Under 65 pounds 14.0 16.0 489.3 484.8

 65-84 pounds 4.0 11.0 368.3 309.2

 85-105 pounds 45.0 36.0 637.8 618.1

 Over 105 pounds 10.0 3.0 506.9 583.2

Market Sheep 2.0 1.0 84.9 84.0

Dollars

Value per head 100 110 96 102

1,000 dollars

Total Value 12,500 13,200 761,650 776,311

1996 1997 1996 1997

Number

Operations with Sheep and Lambs 400 400 77,510 74,710

1,000 head

Lamb Crop 40 45 5,281.8 5,244.8

 1/ Revised.

ANGORA GOATS INVENTORY JANUARY 1, 1997 AND 1998

ITEM

ARIZONA UNITED STATES

1997 1998 1997 1998

1,000 head

Angora Goats 40 40 1,127 855

Dollars

Value per head 35.00 30.00 38.80 38.30

1,000 dollars

Total Value 1,400 1,200 43,753 32,725

 1/ Revised.

HIGHLIGHTS

Egg Production up 1 Percent: Egg

production during the year ending November

30, 1997 totaled 77.4 billion eggs, up 1

percent from the previous year's total of

76.3 billion eggs. Table egg production, at

65.4 billion eggs, increased 1 percent from

1996. Hatching egg production, at 12.0

billion eggs, increased 4 percent. Average

Number of Layers Up 2 Percent: Layer

numbers during 1997 averaged 303 million,

up 2 percent from the year earlier. The

annual average production per layer on hand

in 1997 was 255 eggs, compared with the

1996 average of 256 eggs per layer.

December 1 Inventory Numbers: The total

number of chickens on hand on December 1,

1997 (excluding commercial broilers) was

403 million birds, up 4 percent from last year.

Potential layers (layers 20 weeks old and

older, plus pullets 13 weeks and older but

less than 20 weeks) on hand December 1,

1997, totaled 345 million, up 3 percent from

December 1, 1996. Of the 345 million

potential layers, 90 percent were 20 weeks

old and older and the remainder were pullets

13 weeks and older but less than 20 weeks.

The total value of all chickens on December

1, 1996 was $1.10 billion, up 7 percent from

December 1,1996. The average value

increased from $2.65 per bird on December

1, 1996 to $2.72 per bird on December 1,

1997.

CHICKEN AND EGG PRODUCTION DECEMBER 1, 1996 AND 1997

ITEM

Other States 1/ United States

1996 1997 1996 1997

1,000 birds

All Chickens 30.8 312 386,974 403,495

 Total Layers 296 300 303,754 311,084

 Layers 1 year old and older 164 168 137,822 140,686

 Layers 20 weeks old but less than 1 year 132 132 165,932 170,398

Total Pullets 7 7 75,977 84,867

 Pullets 13 weeks old & older but less

 than 20 weeks 5 5 31,366 34,174

 Pullet Chicks and pullets under 13

 weeks of age 2 2 44,611 50,693

Other Chickens 5 5 7,243 7,544

Dollars

Value per head 1.90 2.00 2.65 2.72

1,000 dollars

Total Value 586 624 1,026,245 1,098,705

1,000 birds

Annual average number of all layers 314 296 297,958 303,166

Number

Average eggs per layer 220 207 256 255

Million eggs

Total Egg production 69 61 76,281 77,401

 1/ “Other States” includes Arizona, Alaska and Nevada, not published separately to avoid

disclosure of individual operations.
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF

AGRICULTURE

Arizona Agricultural Statistics Service

3003 N Central Ave., Suite 950

Phoenix, Arizona 85012-2994

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