Cattle Count Off One Percent
For The Year At 98 Million

WASHINGTON —(USDA)— All cattle and calves in the United States as of Jan. 1 totaled an estimated 98 million head, down one percent from the revised figure of 99.1 million for the same date last year and two percent below the 1998 total of 99.7 million.

The current inventory is the smallest in more than 20 years. It would show a smaller percentage of decline from last year were it not for a 600,000-head upward revision in the 1999 count.

All cows and heifers that have calved, at 42.7 million, were down slightly from last January's 42.9 million and one percent below the 43.1 million estimated for 1998. Beef cows, at 33.5 million, were down one percent from both last year and two years ago. Milk cows totaled 9.19 million, up one percent from last year but down slightly from two years ago.

Heifers weighing 500 pounds or more totaled 19.5 million, down one percent from both years. Beef replacement heifers, at 5.53 million, were down slightly and four percent. Milk replacement heifers, at 3.95 million, were down three and one percent, respectively. "Other heifers," at 10 million, were down one percent and slightly.

Steers weighing 500 pounds or more totaled 16.7 million, down one and three percent. Bulls in the same weight category came to 2.29 million, up one percent for both years.

Calves weighing less than 500 pounds, at 16.8 million, were down three percent straight across.

All cattle and calves on feed for slaughter totaled 14 million, up six percent from last year and three percent above the level of Jan. 1, 1998.

The 1999 calf crop was estimated at 38.7 million head, down slightly from 1998 and down one percent from 1997. Calves born during the first half of the year are estimated at 28.5 million, the same as last year but down slightly from 1997.

The number of operations running cattle during 1999 totaled an estimated 1,095,960, down two percent from 1998 and five percent fewer than in 1997. Beef cow operations were down two and three percent, milk cow operations down five and 10 percent.