March 2014 Articles

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Cattle Inventory Report Summary

Cattle Inventory Report Summary Source: Ross Pruitt, Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness LSU AgCenter
The report is summarized below with data collected in the first weeks of the year. Some quick summary thoughts are below:
1) While this report does not have the surprises of last week’s Cattle on Feed report, there are still important takeaways contained in it. The number of U.S. beef cows was slightly less than expected even with an upward revision in the number of beef cows present in 2012. The net result was still a decline over 862,000 beef cows in the country as of January 1st, 2013. 2) Annual calf crop was estimated at 34.2 million head, a decline of over a million head from 2011 and the smallest since 1949. It’s reasonable to believe another million head decline in calf crop will occur during this year with the decline in the number of beef cows and drought impacting conception rates. 3) Heifer retention was stronger than expected, but more heifers are going to be needed to stabilize the number of U.S. beef cows. When accounting for the difference in the number of beef cows and those beef cows slaughtered during 2012, there were an estimated 2.5 million heifers that entered the U.S. herd (had their first calf) compared to the five-year average of 3 million heifers. This partially explains the larger than expected decrease in the number of U.S. beef cows. Total U.S. beef cow slaughter in 2012 was approximately 3.3 million cows. 4) The number of beef heifers retained (5.36 million) continues to be well below the long term average of 5.7 million heifers retained. 5) For Louisiana, although the number of other replacement heifers weighing at least 500 pounds is below year ago levels, it’s still above the 5 and 10 year averages. Many of the other categories that are below year ago levels are less than the 5 and 10 year averages.

1 Calf crop is relative to 2011

U.S. Cattle Herd Statistics:
1,000 head % of 2012

All cattle & calves 89,299.6 98.4

Annual calf crop1 34,279.0 97.1

Total cows/heifers that have calved 38,515.2 97.8

Beef cows/heifers that have calved 29,295.3 97.1

Milk cows/heifers that have calved 9,219.9 99.9

Heifers 500 pounds and over 19,128.9 99.0

Beef replacement heifers 5,360.6 101.8

Milk replacement heifers 4,550.7 98.5

Other heifers 9,217.6 97.5

Steers 500 pounds and over 15,812.7 99.9

Bulls 500 pounds and over 2,055.8 98.1

Calves under 500 pounds 13,787.0 97.7
Calf crop is relative to 2011

Louisiana Cattle Herd Statistics: 1,000 head % of 2012
All cattle & calves 780.0 98.7
Annual calf crop1 370.0 98.7
All cows that have calved 470.0 100.0
Beef cows that have calved 454.0 100.4
Milk cows/heifers that have calved 16.0 88.9
Heifers 500 pounds and over 103.0 92.8
Beef replacement heifers (500+ lbs) 77.0 95.1
Milk replacement heifers (500+ lbs) 5.0 83.3
Other replacement heifers (500+ lbs) 21.0 87.5
Steers 500 pounds and over 18.0 78.3
Bulls 500 pounds and over 30.0 107.1
Calves under 500 pounds 159.0 100.6