Cattle, Sheep & Goat Inventory

Executive Briefing

January 1, 2012

January 27, 2012

United States Department of Agriculture

National Agricultural Statistics Service
Survey Overview

• January Cattle, Sheep and Goats

- Data Collection Period: Dec. 30 – Jan. 17

- Sample Sizes

- Cattle 40,100

- Sheep & Goats 23,000

- Collection Methods

o Phone, mail, internet, personal interview

- Data Items

o Total Inventory 

o Inventory by Class

o Calf/Lamb/Kid Crop

January 27, 2012
U.S. Cattle and Calves:

Revisions to January 1, 2011

Item 

Estimate

1,000 Head

Change

1,000 Head

Revision

All Cattle & Calves 92,682 +100 +0.11%

Previous Year Calf Crop 35,695 +10 +0.03%

January 27, 2012
U.S. Cattle Inventory January 1

Items 2011 2012 % PY

1,000 Head

All Cattle & Calves 92,682 90,769 98%

Cows & Heifers that have Calved 39,999 39,112 98%

Beef Cows 30,850 29,883 97%

Milk Cows 9,150 9,230 101%

All Heifers 500 lbs & over 19,576 19,388 99%

For Beef Replacements 5,139 5,212 101%

Beef Repl. Expected to Calve 3,164 3,201 101%

For Milk Replacements 4,568 4,527 99%

Milk Repl. Expected to Calve 3,056 3,030 99%

Other Heifers 9,869 9,649 98%

Steers 500 lbs & over 16,397 16,072 98%

Bulls 500 lb & over 2,155 2,052 95%

Calves under 500 lbs 14,555 14,145 97%

Cattle on Feed 14,013 14,121 101%

Previous Year Calf Crop 35,695 35,313 99%
90

95

100

105

92 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 12

U.S. All Cattle & Calves

January 1, 1992 - 2012

97.6

103.5

94.4

Million Head

96.6

90.8

January 27, 2012
29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

92 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 12

U.S. Beef Cows

January 1, 1992 - 2012

33.0

35.3

29.9

Million Head

32.7

January 27, 2012

32.5
Inventory Items

NASS

Estimate

Trade

Average

Trade

Range

All Cattle & Calves 97.9% 98.5% 97.4 – 99.1%

Beef Cows & Heifers that 

have Calved 96.9% 97.5% 95.5 – 98.8%

Calf Crop 98.9% 99.1% 98.4 – 99.5%

NASS Estimates Compared to Trade Expectations

Percent of Previous Year

January 27, 2012
90

95

100

105

92 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 12

All Cattle Inventory

First Estimate Versus Final Estimate

January 1, 1992 - 2012

ASB First Estimate ASB Final Estimate Million Head

January 27, 2012
4

6

8

10

12

14

00 02 04 06 08 10

Heifer All Cows 

FI Cow & Heifer Slaughter

Cow Slaughter

Heifer Slaughter

Million Head

January 27, 2012
14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

30

32

34

36

98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11

Heifer All Cows 

All Cow & Heifer Slaughter

as a Percent of Total Slaughter

All Cows % of Total

Heifer % of Total

Percent

January 27, 2012
U.S. Feeder Cattle Supply on January 1

Totals may not add due to rounding

Item 2011 2012 % PY

Calves < 500 lbs 14,555 14,145 97%

Steers & Heifers > 500 lbs 26,266 25,721 98%

Total Supply 40,821 39,866 98%

Cattle on Feed 14,013 14,121 101%

Feeder Cattle Supply 26,808 25,744 96%

Number Grazing on Small 

Grain Pasture, 3 States 1.60 1.59 99%

Thousand Head

Million Head January 27, 2012
20.0

21.0

22.0

23.0

24.0

25.0

26.0

27.0

28.0

29.0

30.0

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11

< 600 lbs. 800 + lbs.

U.S. % of Total Placements

by Size Group

% of Placements

January 27, 2012
U.S. Sheep and Lamb Inventory, January 1

Items 2011 2012 % PY

1,000 Head

All Sheep & Lambs 5,480 5,345 98%

Market 1,400 1,370 98%

Breeding Sheep & Lambs 4,080 3,975 97%

Replacement Lambs Under One Year Old 665 650 98%

Ewes One Year Old and Older 3,225 3,155 98%

Rams One Year Old and Older 190 170 89%

Previous Year Lamb Crop 3,570 3,510 98%

January 27, 2012
5

6

7

8

9

9 6 9 8 0 0 0 2 0 4 0 6 0 8 1 0 1 2

U.S. Sheep and Lambs

January 1, 1996 - 2012

Million Head

5.35

January 27, 2012
Items 2011 2012 % PY

1,000 Head

All Goats & Kids 2,996 2,862 96%

Breeding 2,486 2,375 96%

Replacement Kids < One Year Old 462 421 91%

Does > One Year Old 1,839 1,775 97%

Bucks > One Year Old 185 179 97%

Market 510 487 95%

Previous Year Kid Crop 1,911 1,879 98%

U.S. Goat and Kid Inventory, January 1

January 27, 2012
Items 2011 2012 % of PY

1,000 Head 1,000 Head

Total Goats 2,996.0 2,862.0 96%

Angora 172.0 146.0 85%

Milk 360.0 360.0 100%

Meat & Other 2,464.0 2,356.0 96%

U.S. Goat Inventory by Type

January 27, 2012
1

2

3

4

0 5 0 6 0 7 0 8 0 9 1 0 1 1 1 2

All Meat & Other

U.S. All Goats and Kids 

& Meat and Other Goats and Kids

January 1, 2005 - 2011

Million Head

2.86

2.36

January 27, 2012
Upcoming Reports

February 9 Crop Production

February 17 Farm Numbers and Livestock 

Operations, Milk Production

February 21 U.S. and Canadian Cattle, 

Sheep, and Hogs

February 24 Cattle on Feed

January 27, 2012

United States Department of Agriculture

National Agricultural Statistics Service
All Reports Available At

www.nass.usda.gov

For Questions Call or Email

202-720-3570

800-727-9540

nass@nass.usda.gov

January 27, 2012

United States Department of Agriculture

National Agricultural Statistics Service