Kentucky cattle inventory unchanged from last year

Kentucky office, National Agricultural Statistics Service

The Kentucky cattle and calf inventory for January 1, 2010 was estimated at 2.30 million head, according to the Kentucky Field Office of the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Total inventory was unchanged from last year. Beef cows and milk cows both showed a decrease from the previous year’s inventory. Beef replacement heifers decreased, while milk cow replacement heifers stayed steady with the 2009 numbers. Other heifers and steers showed a significant increase in inventory, due in part to plentiful forage supplies. Calves on hand also increased over the previous year.

Cows and heifers that have calved were estimated at 1.15 million head, down 50,000 head from the 1.20 million for 2009. Beef cow inventory was estimated at 1.07 million head and milk cows were estimated at 80,000 head. Milk cow numbers in Kentucky continue to decline.

Heifers 500 pounds and over were estimated at 330,000 head, an increase of 10,000 head from last year’s estimate of 320,000. Beef replacement heifers totaled 150,000 head, down 10,000 from January 2009. Dairy heifers, at 50,000 head, were unchanged, and other heifers, at 130,000, were up 20,000 from the previous year. Steers 500 pounds and over numbered 235,000 head, an increase of 20,000 from 2009. Bulls 500 pounds and over numbered 75,000 head, unchanged from last year. Calves less than 500 pounds were estimated at 510,000 head, an increase of 20,000 from the 2009 estimate. Cattle on feed were estimated at 10,000 head, unchanged from the previous year.

The 2009 calf crop was estimated at 1.03 million calves, a decrease of 40,000 from the previous year estimate.

All cattle and calves in the United States as of January 1, 2010, totaled 93.7 million head, 1 percent below the 94.5 million on January 1, 2009.

All cows and heifers that have calved, at 40.5 million, were down 1 percent from the 41.0 million on January 1, 2009. Beef cows were estimated at 31.4 million, down 1 percent from 2009, and milk cows were estimated at 9.08 million, down 3 percent from 2009.

All heifers 500 pounds and over were estimated at 19.7 million, up slightly from January 1, 2009. Beef replacement heifers numbered 5.44 million, down 2 percent; milk replacement heifers numbered 4.52 million, up 2 percent, and other heifers numbered 9.71 million, up 1 percent.

Steers 500 pounds and over numbered 16.4 million, down 2 percent, and bulls 500 pounds and over numbered 2.19 million head, up slightly. Calves under 500 pounds totaled 14.9 million, up slightly.

Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter in all feedlots totaled 13.6 million, down 2 percent. The 2009 calf crop was estimated at 35.8 million head, down 1 percent from 2008. Calves born during the first half of the year were estimated at 26.0 million, down 1 percent from 2008.