1 

Overview of U.S. Livestock, Poultry, and Aquaculture Production in 2012 

Purpose 

This document is a compilation of statistics published by the National Agricultural Statistics 

Service (NASS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Its purpose is to (1) give an 

overview of U.S. livestock, poultry, and aquaculture information for 2012, (2) compare the value 

of production for these animal commodities, and (3) show changes over time. 

Available Statistics 

Official statistics for U.S. livestock, poultry, and aquaculture populations published by NASS are 

based on the Census of Agriculture conducted every 5 years (e.g., 2002 and 2007) and sample 

surveys conducted monthly, quarterly, or annually as determined by the particular commodity. 

The Census of Agriculture, which is a complete enumeration of the entire agricultural segment of 

the economy, is the only source of detailed, county-level data of all farms and ranches in all 50 

States selling or intending to sell agricultural products worth $1,000 or more in a year. Census 

2007 reports are available at: (http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/). 

 

The massive data-collecting, editing, and summarizing effort required to prepare the Census 

naturally results in a publication lag. Sample survey estimates and final Census reports rarely 

show exactly the same numbers. However, the ongoing sample surveys provide the most up-todate statistics between the Census years and are themselves subject to revision when current-year 

estimates are made. For these reasons, statistics in the 2011 Overview for 1 year compared to 

similar statistics published for 2011 in the 2012 Overview, may not always match. 

Number of Farms 

 

Estimates for the number of U.S. farms were based on the definition of a farm as “any 

establishment from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products were sold or would be 

normally sold during the year.” In general, there were fewer farms in the western half of the 
2 

United States; however, western farms and ranches were generally larger than those in the 

eastern half of the United States as reported by the 2007 Census of Agriculture (map 1). A higher 

percentage of land area in the Central United States was dedicated to land in farms. In 2012, 

there were 2.2 million farms, down slightly from 2011. Total land in farms was 914.0 million 

acres in 2012, which represents a decrease of 3.0 million acres from 2011. The average farm size 

was 421 acres in 2012, up 1 acre from the previous year. 

Map 1 

Relative Magnitude of Industries, by Value of Production 

The 2007 Census of Agriculture showed the Central and Eastern States had a higher value of 

livestock and poultry compared with the Western States (map 2). In recent years, the total value 

of production has been split nearly equally between crop and livestock (and poultry) production. 

In the 2007 Census of Agriculture, 51.7 percent of total value of production came from livestock 

and poultry. The coastal areas and North Central portions of the United States generally made a 

smaller livestock and poultry contribution to the total market value. These areas had heavy 

concentrations of crop, fruit, and vegetable products. 
3 

Map 2

Introduction to the Livestock, Poultry, and Aquaculture Industries 

In 2012, almost one-half of the 2.2 million farms in the United States had cattle and calves 

(915,000). (USDA defines a cattle operation as any place having one or more head of cattle on 

hand at any time during the year.) Only a small number of cattle operations (58,000) were dairies 

(milk production). There were 149,000 operations with goats, 79,500 operations with sheep, and 

68,300 operations with hogs and pigs. Operations with equids are counted only if they are farms 

(they must have $1,000 or more of sales of agricultural products), and the most recent count of 

those, in 2007, put the number of farms with equids at 575, 942. 

The cattle industry has the highest value of production at roughly $49.2 billion. In addition, the 

value of milk production was about $37.2 billion, 6.4 percent lower than in 2011. The poultry 

industries were the next largest commodity in the United States, with production valued at 

around $38.1 billion, followed by hogs and pigs at $20.4 billion (table 1). 
4 

Cattle and Calves (Beef and Dairy) 

The Nation’s nearly 90 million cattle and calves (beef and dairy) are dispersed widely across the 

country, with a greater concentration generally in the Central States (map 3). 

Map 3

Overall, the number of cattle and calves in the United States increased from 30.1 million in 1869 

reaching a peak at 132.0 million in 1975. In the last 3 years, the Nation’s inventory of cattle and 

calves has seen a steady decline to 89.3 million on January 1, 2013. 

The number of operations with cattle (or calves) has declined steadily during the past 15 years, 

from 1.2 million in 1995 to 915,000 in 2012. The overall decline is due to the decline in number 

of beef operations. The decrease in the number of cattle operations is due primarily to the decline 

in the number of operations with fewer than 50 head of cattle (data not shown). 

In 2012, small cattle operations (1–49 head) accounted for 68.2 percent of all cattle operations 

but only 11.5 percent of the total inventory of cattle and calves. Large operations (1,000 or more 

head) accounted for just 1.2 percent of all cattle operations but accounted for 35.2 percent of the 

total U.S. inventory of cattle and calves (table 2). 
5 

Milk Cows—Dairy 

On January 2, 2013, Wisconsin and California accounted for 33.0 percent of the U.S. milk cow 

inventory. 

The U.S. population of milk cows has remained relatively stable over the last 10 years. Over the 

previous decade the number of milk cows ranged from 9.0 million to 9.3 million (data not 

shown). In contrast, the number of operations with milk cows in 2012 (58,000) was only 52.3 

percent of the number of operations in 1999 (110,855). Large operations (500 or more milk 

cows) were a small percentage of all operations, but a large percentage of the total number of 

milk cows (fig. 1). 

Annual milk production per cow increased from 17,763 pounds in 1999 to 21,697 pounds in 

2012, a 22-percent increase. Table 3 documents dairy production for 2011 and 2012. 

0

20

40

60

80

Percent inventory

Percent operations

Figure 1. Milk cows: percent operations and inventory by size of operation

2012 operations = 58,000

Jan. 1, 2013, inventory = 9.22 million

1–29 30–49 50–99 100–199 500+

Size of operation

200–499

32.4

1.6

25.0

11.3

16.7

4.3

13.6 11.8

6.6

12.5

5.7

58.5
6 

Beef Cows 

Beef cows are distributed widely across the United States. In general, however, States in the 

central part of the Nation have a higher number of beef cows, led by Texas (4.0 million on 

January 1, 2013). Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma each had about 1.8 million beef cows. Beef 

cows accounted for 76.1 percent of the total cow inventory on January 1, 2013. 

In 2012, 729,000 operations in the United States had beef cows. The number of operations with 

beef cows has declined gradually since 1996 (1 to 2 percent per year). This decrease is most 

notable in the number of small operations (1–49 head) (data not shown). Following a common 

trend seen in other livestock commodities, the population of beef cows on large operations (100 

or more head) has increased and now accounts for 55.1 percent of total U.S. beef cow inventory 

as of January 1, 2013 (table 4). These large operations account for only 9.5 percent of all beef 

cow operations in the United States but have more than one-half the total beef cow inventory 

(fig. 2). 

0

20

40

60

80

100

Percent inventory

Percent operations 79.7

17.2

0.8

16.7

27.7

10.8 8.7

38.4

Figure 2. Beef cows: percent operations and inventory by size of operation

2012 operations = 729,000

Jan. 1, 2013, inventory = 29.30 million

1–49 50–99 100–499 500 or more

Size of operation
7 

Cattle on Feed 

Cattle on feed are fed a ration of grain or other concentrate in preparation for slaughter, and the 

majority are in feedlots in States with large grain supplies. Overall, 99.3 percent of cattle on feed 

are steers and heifers. 

On January 1, 2013, three States (Kansas, Nebraska, and Texas) accounted for over one-half 

(65.3 percent) of the inventory of cattle on feed in all feedlots. Large numbers of cattle on feed 

are in relatively few feedlots; 132 feedlots (0.2 percent of all feedlots) accounted for 45.2 percent 

of the total U.S. cattle-on-feed inventory (table 5). Inventory numbers in feedlots typically reach 

high points in December, January, and February and low points in August and September 

because of the seasonal availability of grazing resources and the predominance of spring-born 

calves. As a result, commercial cattle slaughter typically reaches a high point in May and June. 

Steers and heifers accounted for 78.4 percent of 2012 federally inspected cattle slaughter (data 

not shown). Of the 33.0 million head of commercially inspected cattle slaughter, 98.4 percent 

were federally inspected (table 13). 

Hogs 

Historically, hog production has been most common in the upper Midwest. On December 1, 

2012, Iowa, the largest hog-producing State, had 31.0 percent of the U.S. inventory of all hogs 

and pigs. During the past two decades, North Carolina has increased its production and is now 

the Nation’s second-largest hog-producing State, with 13.6 percent of the inventory. 

In the last 3 years, the number of hogs slaughtered commercially reached a low point in May or 

June, then increased until peaking in October or November in preparation for the holiday season 

(fig. 3). Commercial hog slaughter totaled 113.2 million head in 2012, 2 percent higher than 

2011. 
8 

The number of operations with hogs (and pigs) declined steadily during the past decade, 

decreasing by 10.4 percent over the last 10 years (since 2002) (data not shown). The majority of 

hog operations (71.3 percent) had fewer than 100 head, but these operations accounted for only 

0.8 percent of the inventory. During the past decade, there has been a steady increase in the 

number of large operations (5,000 head or more), with the exception of a slight decline in 2003. 

Large operations, those with 5,000 head or more (4.8 percent of all operations), maintained more 

than half (61.9 percent) of the U.S. hog inventory in 2012. 

In 2012, the United States had 68,300 hog operations with a production value of $20.4 billion 

(table 6). 

7,000

8,000

9,000

10,000

11,000

2012

2011

2010

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

1,000 head

Figure 3. Hogs: U.S. commercial slaughter, by month, 2010–12
9 

Sheep and Goats 

The U.S. sheep industry is located primarily in the Western and Central States. California, 

Colorado, Texas, and Wyoming accounted for 39.0 percent of the U.S. sheep and lamb inventory 

on January 1, 2013. Typically, the Western States are characterized by large range flocks, 

whereas those in the Central and Eastern States are mostly small, fenced flocks. 

The number of sheep and lambs has declined steadily since the late 1980s (10.9 million head in 

1988) with the exception of a brief peak in inventory in 1990 (11.4 million head). Total sheep 

and lamb inventory on January 1, 2013, was 5.34 million head. The number of operations with 

sheep has declined gradually, from 113,640 in 1987 to 79,500 in 2012. 

Over one-third of the sheep and lamb inventory (35.5 percent) is located on small operations 

(1–99 head); 93.9 percent of the 79,500 total operations had fewer than 100 head of sheep and 

lambs (table 7). Commercial sheep and lamb slaughter totaled 2.2 million head in 2012. 

There were 2.81 million goats in the United States on January 1, 2013, which represents a 

2-percent decrease from the January 1, 2012, population. The largest type, by far, were meat and 

other goats (82.4 percent). 

Poultry Industries 

The poultry industries are economically important to the Eastern States—especially the 

Southeastern States (map 4). The value of poultry and eggs is a high percentage of the total value 

of agricultural products sold in these States. In terms of value of production, the broiler segment 

of the poultry industries dominates other segments—eggs, turkeys, and chickens (excluding 

broilers). Broilers accounted for nearly two-thirds of the total value of production ($24.8 billion; 

fig. 4). 
10 

Map 4 

0

10

20

30

Chickens

Turkeys

Eggs

Broilers

2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2004

Billion

dollars

Figure 4. U.S. value of production: broilers, eggs,

turkeys, chickens, and total, 2002–12
11 

Broiler production is concentrated heavily in the Southeast, whereas layers are dispersed more 

widely over the Central and Eastern States. Turkey production is concentrated in the eastern half 

of the United States. Arkansas, Minnesota, and North Carolina accounted for 43.8 percent of the 

253.5 million turkeys raised in 2012. 

The broiler and layer industries are characterized by a relatively small number of large 

companies. USDA does not provide annual estimates of the number of companies or production 

sites. The value of broiler production was 65.0 percent of the $38.1 billion poultry industries’ 

production in 2012. Egg production accounted for 20.5 percent of the total value of production 

(table 8). 

Hatchery statistics for 2012 include 8.93 billion broiler-type chickens hatched, 471 million eggtype chicks hatched, and 288 million poults hatched in turkey hatcheries. The collective capacity 

of the 296 chicken hatcheries on January 1, 2013, was 905 million eggs, and the capacity of the 

49 turkey hatcheries was 40.2 million eggs. 

Slaughter of young chickens1

 accounted for 85.4 percent of the total live weight of poultry 

slaughtered in 2012. The average live weight of young chickens slaughtered has steadily 

increased over the previous decade, ranging from 4.99 pounds in 2000 to 5.85 pounds in 2012. 

Equine Industry 

Statistics on the demographics of the U.S. equine industry are sparse. Equine inventory on farms2

is available only from the Census of Agriculture (1997, 2002, and 2007). Two additional surveys 

of the equine industry were conducted by NASS in 1998; these surveys are the only nonfarm 

estimates of inventory. 

The 2007 Census of Agriculture estimated 4.03 million horses and ponies reported on 575,942 

farms and 284 thousand mules, burros, and donkeys on 746 farms (table 9). The number of farms 

 

1

 Young chickens are commercially grown broilers, fryers, and other young, immature birds (e.g., roasters and 

capons). 

2

 For purposes of equids, a farm is defined as any operation with at least $1,000 in sales of agricultural products 

annually (the usual definition) or any operation that has at least five equids (other than commercial enterprises such 

as race tracks). 
12 

with mules, burros, and donkeys was up over 200 percent from only 29,936 in 2002. There is a 

broad and even distribution of equids across the United States. 

The Census numbers do not include nonfarm equids. The only estimates of nonfarm equids are 

from 1997 and 1998. In 1997 there were an estimated 2.05 million nonfarm equids, in addition to 

the 3.14 million equids on farms, accounting for almost 40 percent of total equids. The USDA 

publishes no estimates for the number of nonfarms with equids. 

Fish and Other Aquaculture Products 

Catfish production in 2012 was concentrated in the Southern States, North Carolina, and 

California, with Mississippi accounting for 51.5 percent of total sales. Total catfish sales for 

2012 was $340.6 million, which was down 19.5 percent from 2011 (table 10). Food-size catfish 

accounted for 93.6 percent of total sales. 

Trout production was dispersed more widely across the United States. Idaho accounted for 58.9 

percent of total value of fish (12 inches or longer) sold in 2012, followed by North Carolina at 

7.7 percent. The total value of trout sold, both fish and eggs, was $88.2 million in 2012—an 

increase of 4.8 percent from 2011. 

Honey Production 

In 2012, honey production from producers with five or more colonies totaled 147.1 million 

pounds, which represents a 0.9-percent decrease from 2011 (table 11; fig. 5). U.S. honey prices 

increased from 176.5 cents per pound in 2011 to 195.1 cents per pound in 2012, which 

contributed to the increase in the value of production from $261.9 million to $287.0 million. The 

distribution of honey production is widespread across the United States, although North Dakota 

accounted for 23.2 percent of the total production in 2012. 
13 

Number of Livestock Slaughter Plants in the United States 

On January 1, 2013, there were 867 federally inspected U.S. slaughter plants. Federally inspected 

plants are those that transport meat interstate and must employ Federal inspectors to ensure 

compliance with USDA standards. There are additional plants considered federally inspected, 

called Talmedge-Aiken plants. Although USDA is responsible for inspection in these plants, 

actual Federal inspection is carried out by State employees, who ensure that Federal regulations 

are being followed. During 2012, 627 plants slaughtered cattle (table 13), and 14 of these plants 

slaughtered 55 percent of the total cattle slaughtered. Five of the 206 plants that slaughtered 

calves accounted for 57 percent of the total, and 3 of the 507 plants that slaughtered sheep or 

lambs in 2012 produced 60 percent of the total number of head slaughtered. In 2012, 419 plants 

slaughtered goats. Hogs were slaughtered at 600 plants; 12 of the largest plants accounted for 

57 percent of the total. 

120,000

140,000

160,000

180,000

200,000

220,000

240,000

1992 1994 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2012 1996

1,000 lb

Figure 5. U.S. honey production, 1992–2012

2010
14 

Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, and Texas accounted for 49.0 percent of U.S. commercial red-meat 

production in 2012. Beef and pork dominated commercial red-meat production in 2012 (52.4 and 

47.5 percent, respectively). 

On January 1, 2013, there were 2,016 State-inspected or custom-exempt slaughter plants in the 

United States, compared with 1,863 such plants on January 1, 2012. State-inspected plants sell 

and transport exclusively intrastate. State inspectors ensure compliance with individual State 

standards as well as with Federal meat and poultry inspection statutes. Custom-exempt plants do 

not sell meat but operate on a custom slaughter basis only. The animals and meat are not 

federally inspected, but the facilities must meet local health requirements. 

 
15 

TABLE 1: Livestock, poultry, and aquaculture statistics for 2012 

Commodity 

Inventory

(1,000)

Number of 

operations1

Value of 

production 

($1,000)

All cattle 89,299.6 915,000 49,213,753

Milk cows 9,219.92 58,000 3NA

Beef cows 29,295.32 729,000 NA

Cattle on feed 13,351.7 NA

Milk from milk cows 37,187,826

Hogs and pigs 66,3484 68,300 20,389,229

Sheep and lambs (plus wool) 5,3352 79,500 704,9005

Goats 2,8112 149,000 

Poultry 6Detail NA 38,108,132

Equids 5,3177 NA NA

Catfish 6Detail 6248 340,5649

Trout 6Detail 26410 88,20111

Honey 6Detail NA 286,976 1

Number of operations—any place having one or more head on hand on December 31 for cattle, beef cow, milk 

cow, hog and pig, sheep and lamb, and goat and kid operations. 

2

Inventory as of January 1, 2013. 

3

Not available. 

4

Inventory as of December 1, 2012. 

5

Sales of sheep and goats and their products during 2007 (2007 Census of Agriculture). 

6

Detailed breakout of inventory is shown in respective tables. 7

Inventory as of January 1, 1999. 

8

Number of operations as of January 1, 2013. 

9

Catfish is published as total sales (not value of production). 10Number of operations selling trout. 

11Trout is published as total value of fish sold with a subcategory at the U.S. level that has a value excluding eggs 

and a value including eggs. 
16 

TABLE 2: Cattle and calves production, 2011 and 2012 

2011 2012

January 1 following-year 

inventory (1,000 head)

All cattle and calves 90,768.5 89,299.6

All cows 39,387.4 38,515.2

Cattle on feed 14,121.4 13,351.7

Operations with cattle and calves 922,000 915,000

Size of operation 

Percentage operations

(percentage inventory)

1–49 head 68.0 (11.6) 68.2 (11.5)

50–99 head 13.8 (9.5) 13.7 (9.5)

100–499 head 15.0 (30.4) 15.0 (30.2)

500–999 head 2.0 (13.5) 2.0 (13.6)

1,000 or more head 1.2 (35.0) 1.2 (35.2)

Total 100.0 (100.0) 100.01 (100.0)

Calf crop 35,313.2 34,279.0

Deaths—cattle (1,000 head) 1,787.1 1,751.2

Death—calves (1,000 head) 2,230.1 2,129.9

Commercial calves slaughter (1,000 head)

Federally inspected 838.8 759.7

Other 13.8 12.4

Total commercial 852.51 772.1

Commercial cattle slaughter (1,000 head)

Federally inspected 

Steers 16,538.6 16,159.5

Heifers 9,725.8 9,269.0

All cows 6,711.8 6,445.6

Bulls 578.7 551.3

Other 531.8 525.3

Total commercial 34,086.61 32,950.81

Farm cattle and calves slaughter 

(1,000 head)* 169.0 151.4

Total cattle and calves slaughter (1,000 head) 35,108.1 33,874.3*

Value of production ($1,000) 45,186,085 49,213,753

Source: USDA–NASS.
17 

*Farm slaughter includes animals slaughtered on farms primarily for home consumption. It excludes custom 

slaughter for farmers at commercial establishments but includes mobile slaughtering on farms. 1

Sum may not equal reported total due to rounding. 
18 

TABLE 3: Milk cow and milk production, 2011 and 2012 

2011 2012

January 1 following-year 

inventory (1,000 head)

Milk cows 9,229.5 9,219.9

Milk replacement heifers 4,622.0 4,550.7

Operations with milk cows 60,000 58,000

Size of operation 

Percentage operations

(percentage inventory)

1–29 head 32.3 (1.6) 32.4 (1.6)

30–49 head 16.8 (4.3) 16.7 (4.3)

50–99 head 24.7 (11.2) 25.0 (11.3)

100–199 head 13.8 (11.9) 13.6 (11.8)

200–499 head 6.7 (12.5) 6.6 (12.5)

500 or more head 5.7 (58.5) 5.7 (58.5)

Total 100.0 (100.0) 100.0 (100.0)

Cows slaughtered (1,000 head), 

federally inspected 

Dairy cows 2,914.2 3,101.5

Other cows 3,797.6 3,344.2

All cows 6,711.8 6,445.61

Milk production 

Average number of milk cows during year 

(1,000 head) 9,194 9,233

Milk production per milk cow (lb) 21,336 21,697

Milk fat per milk cow (lb) 792 807

Percentage of fat 3.71 3.72

Total milk production (million lb) 196,164 200,324

Value of milk production ($1,000) 39,713,938 37,187,826

Source: USDA–NASS. 

1

Sum may not equal reported total due to rounding. 
19 

TABLE 4: Beef cow production, 2011 and 2012 

2011 2012

January 1 following-year 

inventory (1,000 head)

Beef cows 30,157.9 29,295.3

Beef replacement heifers 5,261.6 5,360.6

Operations with beef cows 734,000 729,000

Size of operation 

Percentage operations

(percentage inventory)

1–49 head 79.4 (27.7) 79.7 (27.7)

50–99 head 11.0 (17.4) 10.8 (17.2)

100–499 head 8.7 (38.2) 8.7 (38.4)

500 or more head 0.8 (16.7) 0.8 (16.7)

Total 100.01 (100.0) 100.0 (100.0)

Cows slaughtered (1,000 head), 

federally inspected 

Dairy cows 2,914.2 3,101.5

Other cows 3,797.6 3,344.2

All cows 6,711.8 6,445.61

Source: USDA–NASS. 

1

Sum may not equal reported total due to rounding. 
20 

TABLE 5: Cattle-on-feed production, 2011 and 2012 

2011 2012

January 1 following-year 

inventory (1,000 head) for all lots 14,121.4 13,351.7

January 1 following-year inventory 

(1,000 head) for lots 1,000+ capacity 

Steers and steer calves 7,281 7,047

Heifers and heifer calves 4,496 4,070

Cows and bulls 84 76

Total 11,861 11,193

Feedlot capacity 

(head)

Number 

of feedlots 

2012 Pct.

January 1, 

2013, 

inventory

(1,000 

head) Pct.

Marketed 

(1,000 head)

2012 Pct.

<1,000 73,000 97.2 2,158.7 16.2 2,854 11.4

1,000–1,999 740 1.0 373 2.8 695 2.8

2,000–3,999 570 0.8 710 5.3 1,300 5.2

4,000–7,999 345 0.5 1,000 7.5 1,810 7.3

8,000–15,999 170 0.2 1,130 8.5 2,320 9.3

16,000–31,999 143 0.2 1,950 14.6 4,050 16.2

≥ 32,000 132 0.2 6,030 45.2 11,920 47.8

All feedlots 75,100 100.01 13,351.7 100.01 24,949 100.0

Source: USDA–NASS. 
21 

TABLE 6: Hog and pig production, 2011 and 2012 

2011 2012

December 1 inventory (1,000 head)

Breeding 5,803 5,817

Market 60,558 60,531

All hogs and pigs 66,361 66,348

Operations with hogs and pigs 69,100 68,300

Size of operation 

Percentage operations

(percentage inventory)

1–99 head 71.5 (0.8) 71.3 (0.8)

100–499 head 7.4 (2.0) 7.3 (1.9)

500–999 head 3.5 (2.7) 3.4 (2.6)

1,000–1,999 head 4.9 (7.5) 4.8 (7.3)

2,000–4,999 head 8.0 (24.9) 8.3 (25.5)

≥5,000 head 4.8 (62.1) 4.8 (61.9)

Total 100.0 1 (100.0) 100.01 (100.0)

Pig crop (1,000 head)

December–November* 115,837 117,724

Pigs per litter 

December–November* 9.97 10.08

Deaths (1,000 head) 8,557.7 8,798.7

Slaughter (1,000 head)

Federally inspected 

Barrows and gilts 106,600.3 108,912.3

Sows 3,027.0 3,008.8

Stags and boars 329.0 344.3

Other 903.7 897.9

Total commercial 110,860.0 113,163.3

Farm slaughter 96.3 94.3

Total slaughter 110,956.3 113,257.6

Value of production ($1,000) 20,175,714 20,389,229

Source: USDA–NASS. 

*December of the preceding year. 
22 

TABLE 7: Sheep and goat production, 2011 and 2012 

2011 2012

January 1 following-year 

sheep inventory (1,000 head)

Breeding sheep and lambs 3,995.0 3,975.0

Replacement lambs under 1 year old 660.0 660.0

Ewes 1 year old and older 3,165.0 3,140.0

Rams 1 year old and older 170.0 175.0

Market 1,370.0 1,360.0

All sheep and lambs 5,365.0 5,335.0

Operations with sheep 80,000 79,500

Size of operation 

Percentage operations*

(percentage inventory)*

1–99 head 93.5 (35.9) 93.9 (35.5)

100–499 head 5.4 (21.1) 5.0 (21.1)

500–4,999 head 1.0 (31.1) 1.0 (31.2)

≥5,000 head 0.1 (11.9) 0.1 (12.2)

Total 100.0 (100.0) 100.0 (100.0)

Lamb crop (1,000 head) 3,510.0 3,455.0

Deaths—sheep (1,000 head) 240.0 229.0

Deaths—lambs (1,000 head) 380.0 365.0

Slaughter (1,000 head) 

Federally inspected 

Mature sheep 140.7 143.1

Lambs 1,859.5 1,869.1

Other 164.1 170.7

Total commercial 2,164.3 2,182.9

Farm slaughter 93.2 92.5

Total slaughter 2,257.5 2,275.4

Wool production 

Sheep shorn (1,000 head) 4,030 3,930

Shorn wool production (1,000 lb) 29,290 28,500

Value of wool production ($1,000) 48,925 43,626

*End-of-year survey for breeding sheep (inventory). 

 
23 

2011 2012

January 1 following-year goat 

inventory (1,000 head)

All 

Angora 146 136

Milk 360 360

Meat and other 2,356 2,315

All 2,862 2,811

Does, 1 year old and older 

Angora 102 96

Milk 233 234

Meat and other 1,440 1,404

All 1,775 1,734

Bucks 

Angora 8 7

Milk 23 23

Meat and other 148 145

All goats 179 175

Kid crop 

Angora 81 70

Milk 267 267

Meat and other 1,531 1,450

All 1,879 1,787

Operations with goats 

Angora 5,500 5,300

Milk 31,000 30,500

Meat and other 124,000 123,000

All 151,000 149,000

Source: USDA–NASS. 
24 

TABLE 8: Poultry production, 2011 and 2012 

2011 2012

December 1 average layers during the year 

(1,000 head) 338,475 339,698

Eggs per layer 271 274

Total egg production (million eggs) 91,861 92,894

Number of broilers produced (1,000 head) 8,607,600 8,437,900

Number of turkeys raised (1,000 head) 248,500 253,500

Number slaughtered (1,000 head)

Chickens—young 8,537,636 8,428,847

Chickens—mature 146,007 147,347

Chickens—total 8,683,643 8,576,194

Turkeys—young 245,450 248,590

Turkeys—old 1,394 1,602

Turkeys—total 246,844 250,192

Ducks 24,472 24,183

Value of production ($1,000)

Broilers 22,987,822 24,764,850

Eggs 7,315,796 7,823,140

Turkeys 4,960,593 5,441,171

Chickens (value of sales) 81,073 78,971

Total 35,345,284 38,108,132

Source: USDA–NASS. 
25 

TABLE 9: Equine inventory, 1997, 2002, and 2007 

1997* 2002 2007

January 1 following-year 

inventory (1,000 head)

All equids on farms 3,143 3,749 4,313

Horses and ponies 3,020 3,644 4,029

Mules, burros, and donkeys 123 105 284

Number farms 

With horses and ponies 490,517 542,223 575,942

With mules, burros, and donkeys 44,096 29,936 99,746

*Two surveys released by USDA–NASS on March 2, 1999, estimated an additional 2,050,000 equids on nonfarms 

in 1997, for a total of 5,193,000 equids. 

Source: USDA–NASS, 2002 and 2007 Census of Agriculture. 
26 

TABLE 10: Catfish and trout production, 2011 and 2012 

2011 2012

Catfish 

Number of fish on January 1, 

following year (1,000) 

Foodsize 181,305 166,690

Stockers 463,485 339,260

Fingerlings 451,100 398,510

Broodfish 562 540

Number of operations on January 1, 

following year 718 624

Sales ($1,000)

Foodsize 390,749 318,784

Stockers 17,104 10,750

Fingerlings 14,552 10,935

Broodfish 800 95

Total sales 423,205 340,564

Trout 

Number of fish (1,000) 

≥12 inches 38,215 40,445

6–12 inches 5,625 6,780

1–6 inches 4,975 6,750

Sales ($1,000)

≥12 inches 68,261 72,663

6–12 inches 6,159 5,976

1–6 inches 1,031 1,094

Total sales (excluding eggs) 75,451 79,733

Eggs sold 

Number of eggs (1,000) 463,666 434,025

Total sales ($1,000) 8,728 8,468

Total value of fish sold including eggs 

($1,000) 84,179 88,201

Number of operations selling trout 283 264

Number of operations selling or 

distributing trout,1 or both 754 644

Source: USDA–NASS. 

1

Trout distributed for restoration, conservation, or recreational purposes.
27 

TABLE 11: Honey* production, 2011 and 2012 

2011 2012

Honey-producing colonies (1,000) 2,491 2,624

Yield per colony (lb) 59.6 56.1

Production (1,000 lb) 148,357 147,092

Stocks on December 15 (1,000 lb) 36,761 32,922

Value of production ($1,000) 261,850 286,976

Source: USDA–NASS. 

*For producers with five or more colonies. 
28 

TABLE 12: Production data on miscellaneous livestock, 2007 

Commodity 

Number of 

farms Inventory Number sold

Mules, burros, donkeys 99,746 283,806 32,467

Mink 290 1,507,719 2,811,470

Rabbits 27,137 616,129 979,563

Ducks 31,391 3,984,982 27,321,288

Geese 18,869 177,812 161,133

Pigeons 5,369 531,489 1,294,163

Pheasants 5,313 3,773,593 10,876,586

Quail 3,983 10,611,067 39,968,045

Emus 3,621 28,443 6,540

Ostriches 714 11,188 5,697

Bison 4,499 198,234 62,890

Deer 5,654 269,537 44,210

Elk 1,917 68,251 13,049

Alpacas 8,708 121,904 13,164

Llamas 26,060 122,680 12,704

Source: USDA–NASS 2007 Census of Agriculture. 
29 

TABLE 13: Slaughter statistics, 2012 

Commodity 

Federally 

inspected 

plants (no.)

Slaughter in 

federally inspected 

plants (1,000 head)*

Slaughter in Stateinspected or 

custom-exempt 

plants (1,000 head)

Cattle 627 32,425.5 525.3

Calves 206 759.7 12.4

Hogs 600 112,265.4 897.9

Sheep and lambs 507 2,012.1 170.7

Goats NA 557.9 169.5

Bison NA 41.1 10.4

Source: USDA–NASS Livestock Slaughter 2012 Summary, April 2012. 

*Includes data for the calendar year.