Cattle Inventory

Sheep and Goats Inventory

January 1, 2020

Executive Briefing

January 31, 2020

United States Department of Agriculture

National Agricultural Statistics Service
Survey Overviews

Cattle Sheep and Goats

Data collection period December 31 – January 16

Sample size 35,100 21,600

Collection methods Mail, telephone, internet, face-to-face interview

Primary data items Total inventory, inventory 

by class, calf crop

Total inventory, inventory by 

class, lamb/kid crop

January 31, 2020
U.S. Cattle and Calves Revisions

Survey Item 

Initial 

Estimate

(1,000 head)

Current 

Revision

(1,000 head)

Current 

Estimate

(1,000 head)

July 1, 2018

All cattle and calves 103,200.0 -200.0

-0.2% 102,800.0

Calf crop 36,500.0 -187.3

-0.5% 36,312.7

January 1, 2019

All cattle and calves 94,759.7 45.0

0.0% 94,804.7

Calf crop 36,402.7 -90.0

-0.2% 36,312.7

July 1, 2019

All cattle and calves 103,000.0 -100.0

-0.1% 102,900.0

Calf crop 36,300.0 -240.4

-0.7% 36,059.6

January 31, 2020
U.S. Cattle Inventory January 1

Items 2019

(1,000 head)

2020

(1,000 head) % PY

All cattle and calves 94,805 94,413 100

All cows and heifers that have calved 41,044 40,651 99

Beef cows 31,691 31,317 99

Milk cows 9,353 9,335 100

All heifers 500 pounds and over 20,210 20,114 100

For beef cow replacement 5,885 5,772 98

Beef replacements expected to calve 3,529 3,499 99

For milk cow replacement 4,702 4,637 99

Milk replacements expected to calve 3,006 2,931 98

Other heifers 9,624 9,706 101

Steers 500 pounds and over 16,758 16,671 99

Bulls 500 pounds and over 2,253 2,237 99

Calves under 500 pounds 14,540 14,739 101

All cattle on feed 14,368 14,668 102

Previous year calf crop 36,313 36,060 99

January 31, 2020

Totals may not add due to rounding
January 31, 2020

January 1, 2020 All Cattle and Calves

(000) Head and Number Change from Previous Year
85

90

95

100

2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020

94.4

U.S. All Cattle and Calves

94.4

96.6

88.2

94.8

January 31, 2020

Million head
28

29

30

31

32

33

34

2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020

31.3

Million head

January 31, 2020

U.S. Beef Cows

29.0

32.7

32.5 31.7
January 31, 2020

Trade Expectations Compared to NASS 

Estimates as Percent of Previous Year

99.3

98.8

99.4

99.0

99.5

99.6

99.8

98.8

99.2

99.6

96 96.5 97 97.5 98 98.5 99 99.5 100 100.5 101

Calf crop

Milk cows

Beef cows

All cows and heifers that have calved

All cattle and calves

Min Trade Range Trade Average NASS
January 31, 2020

All Cattle and Calves Inventory

First Estimate versus Final Estimate

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Lower Trade Range Trade Range ASB First Estimate ASB Final Estimate

Million head
14%

16%

18%

20%

22%

24%

26%

28%

30%

32%

34%

1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019

All Cow Heifer

Herd rebuilding 

January 31, 2020

All Cow & Heifer Slaughter 

as a Percent of Total Slaughter

Percent of Slaughter
85

90

95

100

40%

45%

50%

55%

1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019

Cow and Heifer % of Slaughter Cattle Inventory of Following Year

Million head

January 31, 2020

Cattle Inventory vs Cow and Heifer Slaughter 

as a Percent of Slaughter

Percent of Slaughter
U.S. Cattle on Feed on January 1

January 31, 2020

Item 2019

(1,000 head)

2020

(1,000 head)

% PY

Capacity of 1,000 head or more 11,690 11,958 102

Percent of total 81.4% 81.5%

Capacity of less than 1,000 head 2,678 2,710 101

Percent of total 18.6% 18.5%

All cattle on feed 14,368 14,668 102
U.S. Feeder Cattle Supply on January 1

Totals may not add due to rounding

January 31, 2020

Item 2019

(1,000 head)

2020

(1,000 head)

% PY

Calves under 500 pounds 14,540 14,739 101

Steers and other heifers 500 pounds and over 26,381 26,377 100

Total supply 40,921 41,116 100

All cattle on feed 14,368 14,668 102

Feeder cattle supply 26,553 26,448 100

Number grazing on small grain pasture, 

3 States

1,900 1,610 85

Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas
U.S. Sheep and Lambs Revisions

January 31, 2020

Survey Item 

Initial 

Estimate

(1,000 head)

Current 

Revision

Current 

Estimate

(1,000 head)

January 1, 2019

All sheep and lambs 5,230 No Revision 5,230

Lamb crop 3,235 No Revision 3,235
U.S. Sheep and Lambs Inventory January 1

Items 2019

(1,000 head)

2020

(1,000 head) % PY

All sheep and lambs 5,230 5,200 99

Market 1,410 1,390 99

Breeding 3,820 3,810 100

Replacement lambs under one year old 650 660 102

Ewes one year old and older 3,000 2,980 99

Rams one year old and older 170 170 100

Previous year lamb crop 3,235 3,230 100

January 31, 2020

Totals may not add due to rounding
5

6

7

8

2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020

6.20

6.07

5.20 5.24

Million head

January 31, 2020

U.S. All Sheep and Lambs Inventory

5.30

2005-06 Ewe Retention Program
U.S. Goats and Kids Revisions

January 31, 2020

Survey Item 

Initial 

Estimate

(1,000 head)

Current 

Revision

(1,000 head)

Current 

Estimate

(1,000 head)

January 1, 2019

All goats and kids 2,622 No Revision 2,622

Kid crop 1,638 -3

-0.2% 1,635
U.S. Goats and Kids Inventory January 1

Items 2019

(1,000 head)

2020

(1,000 head) % PY

All goats and kids 2,622 2,660 101

Market 474 478 101

Breeding 2,148 2,182 102

Replacement kids under one year old 393 400 102

Does one year old and older 1,595 1,619 102

Bucks one year old and older 160 163 102

Previous year kid crop 1,635 1,640 100

January 31, 2020

Totals may not add due to rounding
U.S. Goat Inventory by Type January 1

Items 2019

(1,000 head)

2020

(1,000 head) % PY

All goats 2,622 2,660 101

Meat and other 2,055 2,090 102

Milk 430 440 102

Angora 137 130 95

January 31, 2020

Totals may not add due to rounding
1.9

2.4

2.9

3.4

2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020

ALL Meat & Other

2.62

2.06

2.91

2.66

2.09

Million head

January 31, 2020

U.S. All Goats and Kids Inventory versus 

Meat and Other Goats and Kids Inventory

2.39
Upcoming NASS Reports

Release Date Report Title

February 3 CAIR: Cotton System, Fats & Oils, Flour Milling, and 

Grain Crushings

February 4 Dairy Products

February 11 Crop Production

February 20 Farms & Land in Farms

Livestock Slaughter

Milk Production

February 21 Cattle on Feed

February 24 Cold Storage

February 28 Agricultural Prices 

Cold Storage – Annual 

January 31, 2020
January 31, 2020
All Reports Available At

www.nass.usda.gov

For Questions

(202) 720-3570

(800) 727-9540

nass@nass.usda.gov

United States Department of Agriculture

National Agricultural Statistics Service

January 31, 2020