January Cattle

and 

Sheep and Goats

Agricultural Statistics Board Briefing

Travis Averill, Chief

Livestock Branch

January 31, 2023
January 2023 Cattle Survey

Number of Samples

January 31, 2023
January 2023 Cattle Survey

Drought Maps

January 31, 2023
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, 2022 All cattle and calves 91,901.6 +175.0 +175.0 92,076.6

Calf crop 35,085.4 +80.5 +65.9 35,165.9

July 1, 2022 All cattle and calves 98,800.0 -200.0 -200.0 98,600.0

Calf crop 34,600.0 -135.5 -135.5 34,464.5

January 31, 2023
U.S. Cattle and Calves January 1

2022 2023 % Change from

(1,000 head) Previous Year

All cattle and calves 92,076.6 89,274.1 ↓ 3.0

88.0

93.0

98.0

2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023

Million head

U.S. All Cattle and Calves

Top 5 States

Inventory

(1,000 head)

Texas 12,500

Nebraska 6,500

Kansas 6,250

California 5,200

Oklahoma 4,600

January 31, 2023
January 1, 2023 Cattle and Calves Inventory

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

January 31, 2023
U.S. Cows January 1

2022 2023 % Change from 

(1,000 head) Previous Year

All cows and heifers that have calved 39,360.1 38,320.4 ↓ 2.6

Beef cows 29,983.1 28,917.9 ↓ 3.6

Milk cows 9,377.0 9,402.5 ↑ 0.3

28.0

30.0

32.0

34.0

2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023

Million head

U.S. Beef Cows

8.9

9.1

9.3

9.5

2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023

Million head

U.S. Milk Cows

January 31, 2023
U.S. Heifers January 1

2022 2023 % Change from 

(1,000 head) Previous Year

All heifers 500 pounds and over 19,916.0 19,172.5 ↓ 3.7

Beef cow replacement 5,481.5 5,163.7 ↓ 5.8

Milk cow replacement 4,440.6 4,337.2 ↓ 2.3

Other heifers 9,993.9 9,671.6 ↓ 3.2

18.5

19.0

19.5

20.0

20.5

2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023

Million head

U.S. All Heifers

January 31, 2023
U.S. Steers, Bulls, and Calves January 1

2022 2023 % Change from

(1,000 head) Previous Year

Steers 500 pounds and over 16,704.7 16,131.6 ↓ 3.4

Bulls 500 pounds and over 2,109.6 2,029.0 ↓ 3.8

Calves under 500 pounds 13,986.2 13,620.6 ↓ 2.6

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

30.0

35.0

2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023

Million head

U.S. Steers, Bulls, and Calves

Steers Bulls Calves

January 31, 2023
U.S. Calf Crop

2021 2022 % Change from

(1,000 head) Previous Year

January 1 – June 30 25,700.0 25,300.0 ↓ 1.6

July 1 – December 31 9,465.9 9,164.5 ↓ 3.2

Total 35,165.9 34,464.5 ↓ 2.0

33.0

34.5

36.0

37.5

39.0

2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022

Million head

U.S. Calf Crop

January 31, 2023
Trade Expectations Compared to NASS 

Estimates Percent of Previous Year

96.7

97.4

99.9

95.8

96.8

97.1

97.1

98.0

100.3

96.4

97.4

97.0

95 96 97 98 99 100 101

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, 2023
All Cattle and Calves

First Estimate vs Final Estimate

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

Lower Trade Range Trade Range ASB First Estimate ASB Final Estimate

January 31, 2023
14%

18%

22%

26%

30%

34%

2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022

All Cow Heifer

Herd rebuilding 

Percent of Slaughter

All Cow and Heifer Slaughter

as a Percent of Total Slaughter

January 31, 2023
85

90

95

100

40%

45%

50%

55%

2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022

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, 2023
U.S. Cattle on Feed January 1

2022 2023

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

Capacity of 1,000 head or more 12,037.0 81.9 11,682.0 82.5

Capacity of less than 1,000 head 2,657.6 18.1 2,475.3 17.5

All cattle on feed 14,694.6 14,157.3

12.5

13.0

13.5

14.0

14.5

15.0

2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023

Million head

U.S. All Cattle on Feed

January 31, 2023
U.S. Feeder Cattle Supply January 1

2022 2023 % Change from 

(1,000 head) Previous Year

Calves under 500 pounds 13,986.2 13,620.6 ↓ 2.6

Steers and other heifers 500 pounds and over 26,698.6 25,803.2 ↓ 3.4

Total supply 40,684.8 39,423.8 ↓ 3.1

All cattle on feed 14,694.6 14,157.3 ↓ 3.7

Feeder cattle supply 25,990.2 25,266.5 ↓ 2.8

24.0

26.0

28.0

30.0

2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023

Million head

U.S. Feeder Cattle Supply

January 31, 2023
January 2023 Sheep and Goat Survey

Number of Samples

January 31, 2023
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, 2022

All sheep and lambs 5,065.0 0 0 5,065.0

Lamb crop 3,160.0 0 0 3,160.0

January 31, 2023
U.S. Sheep and Lambs January 1

2022 2023 % Change from

(1,000 head) Previous Year

All sheep and lambs 5,065.0 5,020.0 ↓ 0.9

Market 1,355.0 1,355.0 NC

Breeding 3,710.0 3,665.0 ↓ 1.2

5.0

6.0

7.0

2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023

Million head

U.S. All Sheep and Lambs

January 31, 2023

Top 5 States

Inventory

(1,000 head)

Texas 675

California 550

Colorado 415

Wyoming 335

Utah 280
January 1, 2023 Sheep and Lambs Inventory

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

January 31, 2023
U.S. Breeding Sheep and Lambs January 1

2022 2023 % Change from

(1,000 head) Previous Year

Breeding sheep and lambs 3,710.0 3,665.0 ↓ 1.2

Replacement lambs under one year old 640.0 635.0 ↓ 0.8

Ewes one year and older 2,910.0 2,870.0 ↓ 1.4

Rams one year old and older 160.0 160.0 NC

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023

Million head

U.S. Lambs, Ewes, and Rams

Lambs Ewes Rams

January 31, 2023
U.S. Lamb Crop

2021 2022 % Change from

(1,000 head) Previous Year

Lamb crop 3,160.0 3,110.0 ↓ 1.6

3.0

3.7

4.4

2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022

Million head

U.S. Lamb Crop

January 31, 2023
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, 2022 All goats and kids 2,550.0 0 0 2,550.0

Kid crop 1,601.0 0 0 1,601.0

January 31, 2023
U.S. Goats and Kids January 1

2022 2023 % Change from

(1,000 head) Previous Year

All goats and kids 2,550.0 2,507.0 ↓ 1.7

Market 457.0 451.0 ↓ 1.3

Breeding 2,093.0 2,056.0 ↓ 1.8

2.5

2.6

2.7

2.8

2.9

3.0

2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022

Million head

U.S. All Goats and Kids

January 31, 2023
U.S. Breeding Goats and Kids January 1

2022 2023 % Change from

(1,000 head) Previous Year

Breeding goats and kids 2,093.0 2,056.0 ↓ 1.8

Replacement kids under one year old 385.0 379.0 ↓ 1.6

Does one year old and older 1,551.0 1,523.0 ↓ 1.8

Bucks one year old and older 157.0 154.0 ↓ 1.9

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022

Million head

U.S. Kids, Does, and Bucks

Kids Does Bucks

January 31, 2023
U.S. Kid Crop

2021 2022 % Change from

(1,000 head) Previous Year

Kid crop 1,601.0 1,580.0 ↓ 1.3

1.5

1.6

1.7

1.8

1.9

2.0

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Million head

U.S. Kid Crop

January 31, 2023
Upcoming Reports

February 1 Cottons System, Fats & Oils, Flour 

Milling, Grain Crushing

February 8 Crop Production

February 17 Farms and Land in Farms

February 22 Milk Production

February 24 Cattle on Feed

Cold Storage

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

January 31, 2023
Registration is Now Open to USDA’s 99th Agricultural Outlook Forum!

Seeds of Growth Through Innovation

Join us for this virtual event on February 23-24, 2023

The Forum is free to attend

Register Today

January 31, 2023

USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum
2022 Census of Agriculture

January 31, 2023
Stat Chat

January 31, 2023
All Reports Available At

www.nass.usda.gov

For Questions

(202) 720-3570

(800) 727-9540

nass@usda.gov

January 31, 2023