By Julie Tomascik
Editor

The U.S. and Texas cattle herds showed decreases on the Jan. 1 cattle inventory report released this week by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

There were 89.3 million head of cattle and calves in the U.S., down 3% from 92.1 million head last year. This is the lowest inventory since 2014.

In Texas, there were 12.5 million cattle and calves, down 2% from last year’s 12.7 million.

“Lower numbers are a result of prolonged drought, dwindling supplies of feed and hay and the increased cost of raising cattle,” Tracy Tomascik, Texas Farm Bureau associate director of Commodity and Regulatory Activities, said. “Farmers and ranchers have endured a difficult year, but hopefully the weather and markets will allow opportunities for them to rebuild and take advantage of the good demand for beef expected in the coming years.”

U.S. cattle numbers
USDA’s cattle inventory report also showed all cows and heifers that have calved down 3% to 38.3 million head.

Beef cows, at 28.9 million head, were down 4% from a year ago.

Milk cows were up slightly from the previous year at 9.4 million head.

All heifers 500 pounds and over as of Jan. 1 totaled 19.2 million head, 4% below the 19.9 million head least. Beef replacement heifers, at 5.16 million head, were down 6% from a year ago.

Milk replacement heifers totaled 4.34 million head. That is down 2% from the previous year. Other heifers were down 3%, totaling 9.67 million head.

Bulls weighing 500 pounds and over were down 4%, totaling 2.03 million head.

Cattle on feed
Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the U.S. for all feedlots totaled 14.2 million head. The inventory is down 4% from last year’s 14.7 million head.

Cattle on feed in feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head accounted for 82.5% of the total cattle on feed, up 1% from the previous year. The combined total of calves under 500 pounds and other heifers and steers over 500 pounds (outside of feedlots) at 25.3 million head, was 3% below last year.

U.S. calf crop
The 2022 calf crop in the U.S. was estimated at 34.5 million head. That is down 2% from the previous year’s calf crop. Calves born during the first half of 2022 were estimated at 25.3 million head, down 2 percent from the first half of 2021. Calves born during the second of 2022 were estimated at 9.16 million head, 27% of the total 2022 calf crop.

Texas cattle numbers
The 2022 calf crop in Texas was down 1% and estimated at 4.55 million head.

Beef cows, at 4.3 million head, were down 3% from a year ago.

Milk cows were also up in Texas. There are 650,000 head, up 4% from last year.

Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in Texas for all feedlots totaled 2.78 million head. The inventory is down 5% from a year ago.

More information
The full cattle inventory report can be found here.

To obtain an accurate measurement of the current state of the U.S. cattle industry, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service surveyed about 35,400 operators across the nation during the first half of January. Surveyed producers were asked to report their cattle inventories as of Jan. 1, 2023, and calf crop for the entire year of 2022 by internet, mail, telephone or in-person interview.