Cattle and sheep inventory down in Illinois

The cattle and sheep inventory in Illinois has dropped over the past year according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service, Illinois Field Office.

Cattle Inventory Down Six Percent

The total number of cattle and calves in Illinois on Jan. 1, was 1.1 million head, six percent below last year’s total. This is the lowest cattle inventory on record for Illinois. Beef cow inventory was down 10 percent from 2010 to 352 thousand while milk cows were down three percent to 98 thousand.

U.S. Cattle Inventory Down One Percent

All cattle and calves in the United States as of Jan. 1, totaled 92.6 million head, one percent below the 93.9 million on Jan. 1, 2010. This is the lowest Jan. 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 one percent from the 40.5 million on Jan. 1, 2010. Beef cows, at 30.9 million, were down two percent from Jan. 1, 2010. Milk cows, at 9.1 million, were up one percent from Jan. 1, 2010.

Sheep Inventory Down Twelve Percent

The total number of sheep and lambs in Illinois on Jan. 1, 2011, was 56,000, 12 percent below last year’s total of 64,000 head. Breeding inventory, at 47,000 head, decreased 15 percent, while market inventory stayed steady at 9,000 head for 2011. Illinois’s 2010 lamb crop increased 1,000 from last year to 51,000 head.

U.S. Sheep and Lamb Inventory Down Two Percent

All sheep and lamb inventory in the United States on Jan. 1, 2011, totaled 5.53 million head, down 2 percent from 2010. Breeding sheep inventory decreased to 4.12 million head on Jan. 1, down two percent from 4.19 million head on Jan. 1, 2010. Market sheep and lambs on Jan. 1, 2011, totaled 1.42 million head, down one percent from Jan. 1, 2010. The 2010 lamb crop of 3.60 million head, was down two percent from 2009.