USDA Reports Show Total Cattle and On Feed Inventory Declines

USDA Reports Show Total Cattle and On Feed Inventory Declines

July 1 Cattle Inventory Down 3 Percent from 2012

All cattle and calves in the United States as of July 1, 2014, totaled 95.0 million head, 3 percent below the 97.8 million on July 1, 2012. This is the lowest all cattle and calves inventory for July 1 since the series began in 1973. After a year absence due to sequestration, the July Cattle report has been reinstated.

All cows and heifers that have calved, at 39.0 million, were down 2 percent from July 1, 2012.

• Beef cows, at 29.7 million, were down 3 percent from July 1, 2012.
• Milk cows, at 9.3 million, up 1 percent from July 1, 2012.

Other class estimates on July 1, 2014 and the changes from July 1, 2012, are as follows:

• All heifers 500 pounds and over, 14.9 million, down 5 percent.
• Beef replacement heifers, 4.1 million, down 2 percent.
• Milk replacement heifers, 3.9 million, down 5 percent.
• Other heifers, 6.9 million, down 7 percent.
• Steers, weighing 500 pounds and over, 13.5 million, down 4 percent.
• Bulls, weighing 500 pounds and over, 1.9 million, unchanged.
• Calves under 500 pounds, 25.7 million, down 3 percent.
• All cattle and calves on feed for slaughter, 11.6 million, down 6 percent.

The 2014 calf crop is expected to be 33.6 million, down 1 percent from 2013 and down 2 percent from 2012. Calves born during the first half of the year are estimated at 24.3 million, down 2 percent from 2013 and down 3 percent from 2012.

United States Cattle on Feed Down 2 Percent

Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 10.1 million head on July 1, 2014. The inventory was 2 percent below July 1, 2013. The inventory included 6.46 million steers and steer calves, down 1 percent from the previous year. This group accounted for 64 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 3.60 million head, down 5 percent from 2013.

Placements in feedlots during June totaled 1.46 million, 6 percent below 2013. Net placements were 1.38 million head. During June, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 400,000, 600-699 pounds were 245,000, 700-799 pounds were 320,000, and 800 pounds and greater were 490,000.

Marketings of fed cattle during June totaled 1.85 million, 2 percent below 2013. This is the lowest fed cattle marketings for the month of June since the series began in 1996.

Other disappearance totaled 75,000 during June, 19 percent above 2013.

United States All Cattle on Feed down 6 Percent from 2012

Cattle on feed July 1, 2014, from all feedlots in the United States, totaled 11.6 million, down 6 percent from the 12.30 million on July 1, 2012. Cattle on feed in feedlots with 1,000 or more head accounted for 87 percent of the total cattle on feed on July 1, 2014, up slightly from July 1, 2012.

Released July 25, 2014, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).