Beef Buzz News
National Cattle Count Shows Slightly Bigger Total US Herd as of January First, 2019- Derrell Peel Sees No Surprises in Report
Fri, 01 Mar 2019 04:51:18 CST
USDA released the January first 2019 Cattle Inventory numbers on the final day of February- one month later than originally planned due to the partial government shutdown- and with an extra 28 days to consider what the numbers might tell the cattle industry- it appears that they came in about as anticipated. So says Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Specialist Dr. Derrell Peel, who sees no big surprises in the report that came out on Thursday afternoon.
Dr. Peel talked about the report with Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays after the report was released- their conversation can be heard as today's Beef Buzz by clicking on the LISTEN BAR down at the bottom of this story. Today's Beef Buzz is being brought to you by the American Angus Association. America's Breed.
According to the USDA, All cattle and calves in the United States as of January 1, 2019 totaled 94.8 million head, slightly above the 94.3 million head on January 1, 2018. All cows and heifers that have calved, at 41.1 million head, were 1 percent above the 40.9 million head on January 1, 2018. Beef cows, at 31.8 million head, were up 1 percent from a year ago. Milk cows, at 9.35 million head, were down 1 percent from the previous year.
All heifers 500 pounds and over as of January 1, 2019 totaled 20.2 million head, slightly above the 20.2 million head on January 1, 2018. Beef replacement heifers, at 5.92 million head, were down 3 percent from a year ago. Milk replacement heifers, at 4.70 million head, were down 1 percent from the previous year. Other heifers, at 9.60 million head, were 3 percent above a year earlier.
Steers weighing 500 pounds and over as of January 1, 2019 totaled 16.6 million head, up 1 percent from January 1, 2018. Bulls weighing 500 pounds and over as of January 1, 2019 totaled 2.26 million head, up slightly from January 1, 2018.
Calves under 500 pounds as of January 1, 2019 totaled 14.5 million head, up 1 percent from January 1, 2018.
Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for all feedlots totaled 14.4 million head on January 1, 2019. The inventory is up 2 percent from the January 1, 2018 total of 14.1 million head. Cattle on feed in feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head accounted for 81.3 percent of the total cattle on feed on January 1, 2019, up slightly from the previous year.
The combined total of calves under 500 pounds and other heifers and steers over 500 pounds (outside of feedlots) is 26.4 million head. This is 1 percent above January 1, 2018. Calf Crop Up 2 Percent The 2018 calf crop in the United States was estimated at 36.4 million head, up 2 percent from last year's calf crop. Calves born during the first half of 2018 were estimated at 26.6 million head, up 3 percent from the first half of 2017. Calves born during the second half of 2018 were estimated at 9.80 million head, 27 percent of the total 2018 calf crop.
he top three Beef Cow states remained the same as of January first- Texas reports 4.655 million head of mama beef cows- up three percent from a year ago while Oklahoma remains the second largest beef cow state with 2.15 million head- also three percent higher than a year ago.
Missouri is the other state with more than two million beef cows- they are the third largest state with 2.059 million head- down one percent from 2018.
The other seven states that make up the top ten Beef Cow States in the US include:
Nebraska 1.941 Million (+2%)
South Dakota 1.818 Million (+4%)
Kansas 1.529 Million (+2%)
Montana 1.448 Million (-3%)
Kentucky 1.017 Million (-2%)
Iowa .950 Million (even with a year ago)
Arkansas .935 Million (+1%)
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Today's Beef Buzz is being brought to you by the American Angus Association. America's Breed.
Click on the LISTEN BAR below for today's show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
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