All cattle and calves in the United States as of July 1, 2015, totaled 98.4 million head, 2 percent above the 96.3 million on July 1, 2014. The last time all cattle and calves inventory for July 1 increased was 2006.
All cows and heifers that have calved, at 39.8 million, were up 2 percent from July 1, 2014.
- Beef cows, at 30.5 million, were up 3 percent from July 1, 2014.
- Milk cows, at 9.30 million, were up 1 percent from July 1, 2014.
Other class estimates on July 1, 2015 and the percent change from July 1, 2014, are as follows:
- All heifers 500 pounds and over, 15.9 million, up 2 percent.
- Beef replacement heifers, 4.90 million, up 7 percent.
- Milk replacement heifers, 4.20 million, up 2 percent.
- Other heifers, 6.80 million, down 1 percent.
- Steers, weighing 500 pounds and over, 14.1 million, up 3 percent.
- Bulls, weighing 500 pounds and over, 1.90 million, unchanged.
- Calves under 500 pounds, 26.7 million, up 2 percent.
The 2015 calf crop is expected to be 34.3 million, up 1 percent from 2014. Calves born during the first half of the year are estimated at 24.8 million, up 1 percent from the previous year.
Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for all feedlots totaled 12.1 million head on July 1, 2015. The inventory was up 2 percent from the July 1, 2014 total of 11.9 million head. Cattle on feed in feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head accounted for 85 percent of the total cattle on feed on July 1, 2015, up slightly from the previous year.
Revisions
All inventory estimates for July 1, 2014 were reviewed using calf crop, official slaughter, import and export data, and the relationship of new survey information to the prior surveys. Based on these findings, July 1, 2014 cattle and calves were increased by 0.3 percent, cows and heifers that have calved were increased by 0.3 percent, and heifers 500 pounds and over were increased by 1.3 percent.
Source: USDA