All cattle and calves in the U.S. totaled 94.4 million head, 1 percent above the 93.7 million head on Jan. 1, 2017.
All cows and heifers that have calved, at 41.1 million head, were 1 percent above the 40.6 million head on Jan. 1, 2017. Beef cows, at 31.7 million head, were up 2 percent from a year ago. Milk cows, at 9.4 million head, were up 1 percent from the previous year.
All heifers 500 pounds and over as of Jan. 1, 2018, totaled 20.2 million head, 1 percent above the 20.1 million head on Jan. 1, 2017. Beef replacement heifers, at 6.13 million head, were down 4 percent from a year ago. Milk replacement heifers, at 4.78 million head, were up 1 percent from the previous year. Other heifers, at 9.33 million head, were 4 percent above a year earlier.
Steers weighing 500 pounds and over as of Jan. 1, 2018, totaled 16.4 million head, down slightly from Jan. 1, 2017.
Bulls weighing 500 pounds and over as of Jan. 1, 2018, totaled 2.25 million head, up slightly from Jan. 1, 2017.
Calves under 500 pounds as of Jan. 1, 2018, totaled 14.4 million head, up slightly from Jan. 1, 2017.
Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the U.S. for all feedlots totaled 14 million head on Jan. 1, 2018. The inventory is up 7 percent from the Jan. 1, 2017, total of 13.1 million head. Cattle on feed in feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head accounted for 82 percent of the total cattle on feed on Jan. 1, 2018, up 1 percent from the previous year. The combined total of calves under 500 pounds and other heifers and steers over 500 pounds (outside of feedlots) is 26.1 million head, 2 percent below one year ago.
Calf crop up 2 percent
The 2017 calf crop in the U.S. was estimated at 35.8 million head, up 2 percent from last year's calf crop. Calves born during the first half of 2017 were estimated at 26 million head, up 2 percent from the first half of 2016. Calves born during the second half of 2017 were estimated at 9.81 million head, 27 percent of the total 2017 calf crop.
To view the full report and statistics broken down by state, click here.
—Report released Jan. 31, 2018, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service, Agricultural Statistics Board, USDA