USDA  |   January 28, 2011

All cattle and calves in the United States as of January 1, 2011, totaled 92.6 million head, 1 percent below the 93.9 million on January 1, 2010. This is the lowest January 1 inventory of all cattle and calves since the 91.2 million on hand in 1958.

All cows and heifers that have calved, at 40.0 million, were down 1 percent from the 40.5 million on January 1, 2010.

• Beef cows, at 30.9 million, were down 2 percent from January 1, 2010.

• Milk cows, at 9.1 million, were up 1 percent from January 1, 2010.

Other class estimates on January 1, 2011, and the change from January 1, 2010, are as follows:

• All heifers 500 pounds and over, 19.5 million, down 1 percent.

• Beef replacement heifers, 5.2 million, down 5 percent.

• Milk replacement heifers, 4.6 million, up 1 percent.

• Other heifers, 9.8 million, up 1 percent.

• Steers weighing 500 pounds and over, 16.4 million, down 1 percent.

• Bulls weighing 500 pounds and over, 2.2 million, down 2 percent.

• Calves under 500 pounds, 14.5 million, down 3 percent.

• Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter in all feedlots, 14.0 million, up 3 percent.

• The combined total of calves under 500 pounds, and other heifers and steers over 500 pounds outside of feedlots was 26.7 million, down 3 percent.

Calf Crop Down 1 Percent

The 2010 calf crop was estimated at 35.7 million head, down 1 percent from 2009. This is the smallest calf crop since the 34.9 million born during 1950. Calves born during the first half of 2010 are estimated at 25.9 million, down 1 percent from 2009.