Cattle, Sheep & Goat Inventory

Executive Briefing

January 1, 2015

January 30, 2015

United States Department of Agriculture

National Agricultural Statistics Service
Survey Overview

• January Cattle, Sheep and Goats

- Data Collection Period: Dec. 26 – Jan. 15

- Sample Sizes

o Cattle 38,200

o Sheep & Goats 22,700

- Collection Methods

o Phone, mail, internet, personal interview

- Data Items

o Total Inventory 

o Inventory by Class

o Calf/Lamb/Kid Crop

January 30, 2015
U.S. Cattle and Calves:

Revisions to January 1, 2014

Item 

Estimate

1,000 head

Change

1,000 head

Revision

All cattle and calves 88,526.0 +796 +0.9%

All cows and heifers 38,293.0 +42 +0.1%

Calf crop 33,730.0 -200 -0.6%

January 30, 2015

Item 

Estimate

1,000 head

Change

1,000 head

Revision

All cattle and calves 96,000.0 +1,000 +1.1%

All cows and heifers 38,900.0 -100 -0.3%

Calf crop 33,900.0 +300 +0.9%

Revisions to July 1, 2014
U.S. Cattle Inventory January 1

Items 2014 2015 % PY

 1,000 head

All Cattle & Calves 88,526.0 89,800.0 101%

Cows & Heifers that have Calved 38,293.0 39,000.0 102%

 Beef Cows 29,085.4 29,693.1 102%

 Milk Cows 9,207.6 9,306.9 101%

All Heifers 500 lbs & over 18,969.4 19,240.2 101%

 For Beef Replacements 5,551.3 5,777.4 104%

 Beef Repl. Expected to Calve 3,305.0 3,546.0 107%

 For Milk Replacements 4,548.7 4,615.4 101%

 Milk Repl. Expected to Calve 2,966.7 2,997.2 101%

 Other Heifers 8,869.4 8,847.4 100%

Steers 500 lbs & over 15,667.9 15,778.5 101%

Bulls 500 lb & over 2,037.8 2,104.4 103%

Calves under 500 lbs 13,557.9 13,676.9 101%

Cattle on Feed 13,018.3 13,093.0 101%

Previous Year Calf Crop 33,730.0 33,900.0 101%

January 30, 2015
January 30, 2015
85

90

95

100

105

95 97 99 01 03 05 07 09 11 13 15

U.S. All Cattle & Calves

January 1, 1995 - 2015

102.8

103.5

94.4

Million head

96.6

88.5

January 30, 2015

89.8
28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

95 97 99 01 03 05 07 09 11 13 15

U.S. Beef Cows

January 1, 1995 - 2015

35.2

35.3

29.1

Million head

32.7

32.5

January 30, 2015

29.7
Inventory Items

NASS

Estimate

Trade

Average

Trade

Range

All Cattle & Calves 101.4% 99.9% 99.7 – 100.0%

All Cows 101.8% 100.6% 99.9 – 101.5%

 Beef Cows 102.1% 100.6% 99.7 – 101.6%

 Milk Cows 101.1% 100.5% 99.9 – 100.9%

Calf Crop 100.5% 98.5% 97.0 – 99.3%

All Cattle on Feed 100.6% NA NA

NASS Estimates Compared to Trade Expectations

Percent of Previous Year

January 30, 2015
85

90

95

100

105

95 97 99 01 03 05 07 09 11 13 15

All Cattle Inventory

First Estimate Versus Final Estimate

January 1, 1995 - 2015

ASB First Estimate ASB Final Estimate Million head

January 30, 2015
All Cow & Heifer Slaughter

as a Percent of Total Slaughter

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

30

32

34

93 95 97 99 01 03 05 07 09 11 13

Heifer All Cows 

Herd was rebuilding 

January 30, 2015
U.S. Feeder Cattle Supply on January 1

Totals may not add due to rounding

Item 2014 2015 % PY

Calves < 500 lbs 13,558 13,677 101%

Steers & Heifers > 500 lbs 24,537 24,626 100%

Total Supply 38,095 38,303 101%

Cattle on Feed 13,018 13,093 101%

Feeder Cattle Supply 25,077 25,210 101%

Number Grazing on Small 

Grain Pasture, 3 States 1.61 1.93 120%

Thousand head

Million head January 30, 2015
U.S. Sheep and Goats:

Revisions to January 1, 2014

Item 

Estimate

1,000 head

Change

1,000 head

Revision

All sheep and lambs 5,245.0 +35 +0.7%

Lamb crop 3,370.0 0 0.0%

January 30, 2015

Item 

Estimate

1,000 head

Change

1,000 head

Revision

All goats and kids 2,611.0 -150 -5.4%

Kid crop 1,682.0 -57 -3.3%
U.S. Sheep and Lamb Inventory, January 1

Items 2014 2015 % PY

 1,000 head

All Sheep & Lambs 5,245 5,280 101%

 Market 1,345 1,345 100%

 Breeding 3,900 3,935 101%

 Replacement Lambs Under One Year Old 635 650 102%

 Ewes One Year Old and Older 3,090 3,110 101%

 Rams One Year Old and Older 175 175 100%

Previous Year Lamb Crop 3,370 3,440 102%

January 30, 2015
5

6

7

8

9

10

95 97 99 01 03 05 07 09 11 13 15

U.S. Sheep and Lambs

January 1, 1995 - 2015

Million Head

5.28

2005-06 Ewe Retention Program

January 30, 2015
Items 2014 2015 % PY

 1,000 head

All Goats & Kids 2,611 2,675 102%

 Market 460 471 102%

 Breeding 2,151 2,204 102%

 Replacement Kids Under One Year Old 388 391 101%

 Does One Year Old and Older 1,599 1,647 103%

 Bucks One Year Old and Older 164 166 101%

Previous Year Kid Crop 1,682 1,714 102%

U.S. Goat and Kid Inventory, January 1

January 30, 2015
Items 2014 2015 % of PY

1,000 head

Total Goats 2,611.0 2,675.0 102%

 Meat & Other 2,105.0 2,150.0 102%

 Milk 358.0 365.0 102%

 Angora 148.0 160.0 108%

U.S. Goat Inventory by Type

January 30, 2015
2

2.5

3

3.5

05 07 09 11 13 15

All Meat & Others

U.S. All Goats Inventory versus 

Meat and Other Goats Inventory

January 1, 2005 - 2015

Million head

2.68

2.15

January 30, 2015
Upcoming Reports

February 10 Crop Production

February 20 Milk Production

Cattle on Feed

February 27 Agricultural Prices

March 5 U.S. and Canadian Cattle, 

Sheep, and Hogs

January 30, 2015

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 30, 2015

United States Department of Agriculture

National Agricultural Statistics Service