January Cattle

and 

Sheep and Goats

Executive Summary

Travis Averill, Chief

Livestock Branch

January 31, 2024
January 2024 Cattle Survey

Sample Sizes

January 31, 2024
January 2024 Cattle Survey

Drought Maps

January 31, 2024
U.S. Cattle and Calves Revisions

Survey Item

Initial

Estimate

(1,000 head)

Current

Revision

(1,000 head)

Net 

Revision

(1,000 head)

Current 

Estimate

(1,000 head)

January 1, 2023

All cattle and calves 89,274.1 -433.1 -433.1 88,841.0

Calf crop 34,464.5 -25.0 -160.5 34,439.5

July 1, 2023

All cattle and calves 95,900.0 -500.0 -500.0 95,400.0

Calf crop 33,800.0 -207.0 -207.0 33,593.0

January 31, 2024
January 1 Cattle and Calves

United States 2023 2024 % Change from

(1,000 head) Previous Year

All cattle and calves 88,841.0 87,157.4 ↓ 1.9

85

90

95

100

2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024

Million head

January 1 All Cattle and Calves

United States 

Top 5 States

Inventory

(1,000 head)

Texas 12,000

Nebraska 6,250

Kansas 6,150

California 5,100

Oklahoma 4,700

January 31, 2024
January 1, 2024 Cattle and Calves

(1,000) Head and Percent Change from Previous Year

January 31, 2024
January 1 Cows

United States 2023 2024 % Change from 

(1,000 head) Previous Year

All cows and heifers that have calved 38,336.8 37,579.8 ↓ 2.0

Beef cows 28,939.3 28,223.0 ↓ 2.5

Milk cows 9,397.5 9,356.8 ↓ 0.4

28

30

32

34

2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024

Million head

January 1 Beef Cows

United States

8.9

9.1

9.3

9.5

2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024

Million head

January 1 Milk Cows

United States

January 31, 2024
January 1 Heifers

United States 2023 2024 % Change from 

(1,000 head) Previous Year

All heifers 500 pounds and over 18,760.7 18,483.0 ↓ 1.5

Beef cow replacement 4,929.6 4,858.3 ↓ 1.4

Milk cow replacement 4,073.6 4,059.2 ↓ 0.4

Other heifers 9,757.5 9,565.5 ↓ 2.0

18.0

18.6

19.2

19.8

20.4

21.0

2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024

Million head

January 1 All Heifers

United States

January 31, 2024
January 1 Steers, Bulls, and Calves

United States 2023 2024 % Change from

(1,000 head) Previous Year

Steers 500 pounds and over 16,056.5 15,789.2 ↓ 1.7

Bulls 500 pounds and over 2,029.0 2,020.7 ↓ 0.4

Calves under 500 pounds 13,658.0 13,284.7 ↓ 2.7

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024

Million head

January 1 Steers, Bulls, and Calves

United States

Steers Bulls Calves

January 31, 2024
Calf Crop

United States 2022 2023 % Change from

(1,000 head) Previous Year

January 1 – June 30 25,300.0 24,700.0 ↓ 2.4

July 1 – December 31 9,139.5 8,893.0 ↓ 2.7

Total 34,439.5 33,593.0 ↓ 2.5

33.00

34.50

36.00

37.50

39.00

2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023

Million head

Calf Crop

United States

January 31, 2024
Trade Expectations Compared to NASS 

Estimates Percent of Previous Year

102.2

97.6

99.6

97.5

98.0

98.2

102.1

97.5

99.6

97.5

98.0

98.1

96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104

Cattle on feed

Calf crop

Milk cows

Beef cows

All cows and heifers that have calved

All cattle and calves

Trade Range Trade Average NASS

January 31, 2024
All Cattle and Calves

First Estimate vs Final Estimate

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

Lower Trade Range Trade Range ASB First Estimate ASB Final Estimate

January 31, 2024
14%

18%

22%

26%

30%

34%

2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023

All Cow Heifer

Herd rebuilding 

Percent of Slaughter

All Cow and Heifer Slaughter

as a Percent of Total Slaughter

January 31, 2024
85

90

95

100

40%

45%

50%

55%

2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023

Cow and Heifer % of Slaughter Cattle Inventory of Following Year

Percent of Slaughter Million head

Cattle Inventory vs Cow and Heifer Slaughter 

as a Percent of Slaughter

January 31, 2024
January 1 Cattle on Feed

United States 2023 2024

(1,000 head) Percent of Total (1,000 head) Percent of Total

Capacity of 1,000 head or more 11,682.0 82.2 11,930.0 82.7

Capacity of less than 1,000 head 2,523.3 17.8 2,493.3 17.3

All cattle on feed 14,195.8 14,423.3

12.5

13.0

13.5

14.0

14.5

15.0

2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024

Million head

January 1 All Cattle on Feed

United States

January 31, 2024
January 1 Feeder Cattle Supply

United States 2023 2024 % Change from 

(1,000 head) Previous Year

Calves under 500 pounds 13,658.0 13,284.7 ↓ 2.7

Steers and other heifers 500 pounds and over 25,814.0 25,354.7 ↓ 1.8

Total supply 39,472.0 38,639.4 ↓ 2.1

All cattle on feed 14,195.8 14,423.3 ↑ 1.6

Feeder cattle supply 25,276.2 24,216.1 ↓ 4.2

24.0000

26.0000

28.0000

30.0000

2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024

Million head

January 1 Feeder Cattle Supply

United States

January 31, 2024
January 2024 Sheep and Goat Survey

Sample Sizes

January 31, 2024
U.S. Sheep and Lambs Revisions

Survey Item

Initial

Estimate

(1,000 head)

Current

Revision

(1,000 head)

Net 

Revision

(1,000 head)

Current 

Estimate

(1,000 head)

January 1, 2023

All sheep and lambs 5,020 +110 +110 5,130

Lamb crop 3,110 -11 -11 3,099

January 31, 2024
January 1 Sheep and Lambs

United States 2023 2024 % Change from

(1,000 head) Previous Year

All sheep and lambs 5,130 5,030 ↓ 1.9

Market 1,390 1,360 ↓ 2.2

Breeding 3,740 3,670 ↓ 1.9

5

6

7

8

2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024

Million head

January 1 All Sheep and Lambs

United States 

January 31, 2024

Top 5 States

Inventory

(1,000 head)

Texas 655

California 500

Colorado 400

Wyoming 320

Utah 270
January 1, 2024 Sheep and Lambs

(1,000) Head and Percent Change from Previous Year

January 31, 2024
January 1 Breeding Sheep and Lambs

United States 2023 2024 % Change from

(1,000 head) Previous Year

Breeding sheep and lambs 3,740 3,670 ↓ 1.9

Replacement lambs under one year old 644 635 ↓ 1.4

Ewes one year and older 2,930 2,870 ↓ 2.0

Rams one year old and older 167 165 ↓ 1.2

0

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

5

5

2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024

Million head

January 1 Lambs, Ewes, and Rams

United States

Lambs Ewes Rams

January 31, 2024
Lamb Crop

United States 2022 2023 % Change from

(1,000 head) Previous Year

Lamb crop 3,099 3,030 ↓ 2.2

2.75

3.25

3.75

4.25

2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023

Million head

Lamb Crop

United States

January 31, 2024
U.S. Goats and Kids Revisions

Survey Item

Initial

Estimate

(1,000 head)

Current

Revision

(1,000 head)

Net 

Revision

(1,000 head)

Current 

Estimate

(1,000 head)

January 1, 2023

All goats and kids 2,507 +20 +20 2,527

Kid crop 1,580 -26 -26 1,554

January 31, 2024
January 1 Goats and Kids

United States 2023 2024 % Change from

(1,000 head) Previous Year

All goats and kids 2,527 2,470 ↓ 2.3

Market 457 439 ↓ 3.9

Breeding 2,070 2,031 ↓ 1.9

2.4

2.6

2.8

3

3.2

2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024

Million head

January 1 All Goats and Kids

United States 

January 31, 2024
January 1 Breeding Goats and Kids

United States 2023 2024 % Change from

(1,000 head) Previous Year

Breeding goats and kids 2,070 2,031 ↓ 1.9

Replacement kids under one year old 381 370 ↓ 2.9

Does one year old and older 1,536 1,513 ↓ 1.5

Bucks one year old and older 153 149 ↓ 2.6

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024

Million head

January 1 Kids, Does, and Bucks

United States

Kids Does Bucks

January 31, 2024
Kid Crop

United States 2022 2023 % Change from

(1,000 head) Previous Year

Kid crop 1,554 1,524 ↓ 1.9

1.50

1.70

1.90

2.10

2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023

Million head

Kid Crop

United States

January 31, 2024
Selected Upcoming Reports

February 1 Cottons System, Fats & Oils, Flour 

Milling, Grain Crushing

February 8 Crop Production

February 16 Farms and Land in Farms

February 21 Milk Production

February 23 Cattle on Feed

Cold Storage

https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/index.php

January 31, 2024
USDA AGRICULTURAL OUTLOOK FORUM

Register to Attend In-Person or Virtually

January 31, 2024
Stat Chat

January 31, 2024
All Reports Available At

www.nass.usda.gov

For Questions

(202) 720-3570

(800) 727-9540

nass@usda.gov

January 31, 2024