Cattle, Sheep & Goat Inventory

Executive Briefing

January 1, 2013

February 1, 2013

United States Department of Agriculture

National Agricultural Statistics Service
Survey Overview

• January Cattle, Sheep and Goats

- Data Collection Period: Dec. 29 – Jan. 16

- Sample Sizes

o Cattle 39,600

o 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

February 1, 2013
U.S. Cattle and Calves:

Revisions to January 1, 2012

Item 

Estimate

1,000 head

Change

1,000 head

Revision

All Cattle and Calves 90,769 0 0.00%

Calf Crop 35,313 0 0.00%

All Cows 39,387 +275 +0.70%

Beef Cows 30,158 +275 +0.92%

Bulls 2,096 +44 +2.14%

All Heifers 19,338 -50 -0.26%

Beef Replacement Heifers 5,262 +50 +0.96%

Milk Replacement Heifers 4,622 +95 +2.10%

Other Heifers 9,454 -195 -2.12%

Steers 15,833 -239 -1.49%

Calves < 500 14,115 -30 -0.21%

February 1, 2013
U.S. Cattle Inventory January 1

Items 2012 2013 % PY

 1,000 head

All Cattle & Calves 90,769 89,300 98%

Cows & Heifers that have Calved 39,387 38,515 98%

 Beef Cows 30,158 29,295 97%

 Milk Cows 9,230 9,220 100%

All Heifers 500 lbs & over 19,338 19,129 99%

 For Beef Replacements 5,262 5,361 102%

 Beef Repl. Expected to Calve 3,221 3,280 102%

 For Milk Replacements 4,622 4,551 98%

 Milk Repl. Expected to Calve 3,065 2,928 96%

 Other Heifers 9,454 9,218 97%

Steers 500 lbs & over 15,833 15,813 100%

Bulls 500 lb & over 2,096 2,056 98%

Calves under 500 lbs 14,115 13,787 98%

Cattle on Feed 14,121 13,352 95%

Previous Year Calf Crop 35,313 34,279 97%
February 1, 2013
85

90

95

100

105

93 95 97 99 01 03 05 07 09 11 13

U.S. All Cattle & Calves

January 1, 1993 - 2013

99.2

103.5

94.4

Million head

96.6

89.3

February 1, 2013
29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

93 95 97 99 01 03 05 07 09 11 13

U.S. Beef Cows

January 1, 1993 - 2013

33.4

35.3

29.3

Million head

32.7

February 1, 2013

32.5
Inventory Items

NASS

Estimate

Trade

Average

Trade

Range

All Cattle & Calves 98.4% 98.2% 97.2 – 99.0%

Beef Cows & Heifers that 

have Calved 97.8% 98.7% 97.2 – 100.5%

Calf Crop 97.1% 97.9% 97.4 – 98.8%

NASS Estimates Compared to Trade Expectations

Percent of Previous Year

February 1, 2013
85

90

95

100

105

93 95 97 99 01 03 05 07 09 11 13

All Cattle Inventory

First Estimate Versus Final Estimate

January 1, 1992 - 2012

ASB First Estimate ASB Final Estimate Million head

February 1, 2013
4

6

8

10

12

14

01 03 05 07 09 11 12

Heifer All Cows 

FI Cow & Heifer Slaughter

Million head

February 1, 2013
All Cow & Heifer Slaughter

as a Percent of Total Slaughter

Percent

February 1, 2013 14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

30

32

34

36

92 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 12

Heifer All Cows 
U.S. Feeder Cattle Supply on January 1

Totals may not add due to rounding

Item 2012 2013 % PY

Calves < 500 lbs 14,115 13,787 98%

Steers & Heifers > 500 lbs 25,287 25,030 99%

Total Supply 39,402 38,817 99%

Cattle on Feed 14,121 13,352 95%

Feeder Cattle Supply 25,280 25,466 101%

Number Grazing on Small 

Grain Pasture, 3 States 1.59 1.34 84%

Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas

Thousand head

Million head

February 1, 2013
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 12

< 600 lbs. 800 + lbs.

U.S. % of Total Placements

by Size Group

% of Placements

February 1, 2013
U.S. Sheep and Lamb Inventory, January 1

Items 2012 2013 % PY

 1,000 head

All Sheep & Lambs 5,365 5,335 99%

 Market 1,370 1,360 99%

 Breeding Sheep & Lambs 3,995 3,975 99%

 Replacement Lambs Under One Year Old 660 660 100%

 Ewes One Year Old and Older 3,165 3,140 99%

 Rams One Year Old and Older 170 175 103%

Previous Year Lamb Crop 3,510 3,455 98%

February 1, 2013
5

6

7

8

9

9 7 9 9 0 1 0 3 0 5 0 7 0 9 1 1 1 3

U.S. Sheep and Lambs

January 1, 1996 - 2013

Million Head

5.34

February 1, 2013
Items 2012 2013 % PY

 1,000 head

All Goats & Kids 2,862 2,811 98%

 Breeding 2,375 2,321 98%

 Replacement Kids < One Year Old 421 412 98%

 Does > One Year Old 1,775 1,734 98%

 Bucks > One Year Old 179 175 98%

 Market 487 490 101%

Previous Year Kid Crop 1,879 1,787 95%

U.S. Goat and Kid Inventory, January 1

February 1, 2013
2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13

All Meat & Other

U.S. All Goats Inventory versus 

Meat and Other Goats Inventory

January 1, 2005 - 2013

Million head

2.81

2.32

February 1, 2013
Items 2012 2013 % of PY

1,000 head 1,000 head

Total Goats 2,862.0 2,811.0 98%

 Angora 146.0 136.0 93%

 Milk 360.0 360.0 100%

 Meat & Other 2,356.0 2,315.0 98%

U.S. Goat Inventory by Type

February 1, 2013
Upcoming Reports

February 8 Crop Production

February 19 Farm Numbers and Livestock 

Operations

February 20 Milk Production

February 21 U.S. and Canadian Cattle, 

Sheep, and Hogs

February 22 Cattle on Feed

February 1, 2013

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

February 1, 2013

United States Department of Agriculture

National Agricultural Statistics Service