Surprise, Surprise: Texas Sheep
Numbers Climb 7% Over Year Ago

WASHINGTON —(USDA)— The Texas inventory of all sheep and lambs January 1 was up seven percent from a year ago at 1.17 million head. Nationwide, however, the inventory is down four percent at 7.62 million head, 10 percent fewer than two years ago.

U.S. sheep numbers have gradually declined since 1942, when the sheep and lamb inventory reached its peak of 56.2 million head.

Breeding sheep numbers in the U.S. on January 1 declined five percent from a year ago to 5.54 million head; ewes were down six percent at 4.53 million head. Replacement lambs were up one percent at 804,000 head.

Texas breeding ewe numbers were down two percent at 960,000 head, while ewe lambs were up 31 percent at 170,000 head.

Market sheep and lambs in the U.S. were down slightly at 2.08 million head. Lambs comprised 96 percent of the total. Lambs weighing more than 105 pounds were up 15 percent at 583,200 head, weights 85-105 pounds down three percent at 618,100, 65-84 pounds down 16 percent at 309,200, and weights under 65 pounds down one percent at 484,800 head.

Texas increased its feedlot numbers by 34 percent, presumably in an effort to supply the new slaughter plant in San Angelo. Weights over 105 pounds were up 50 percent at 45,000 head, 85-105 pounds up 71 percent at 60,000, 65-84 pounds unchanged at 75,000, and under 65 pounds up 42 percent at 135,000 head.

California market lamb numbers were down 11 percent at 410,000 head. Weights over 105 pounds were unchanged at 40,000 head, 85-105 pounds down 18 percent at 90,000, 65-84 pounds down 11 percent at 80,000, and under 65 pounds down 10 percent at 190,000 head.

Colorado market lamb numbers were up three percent, all in the heavies. Lambs weighing over 105 pounds were up 22 percent at 214,000 head, 85-105 pounds up 15 percent at 115,000 head, and weights under 85 pounds were down dramatically at only 4000 head compared to 47,000 a year ago.

The 1997 U.S. lamb crop was down one percent at 5.24 million head. The lambing rate was 108 percent compared to 103 a year ago. The Texas lamb crop was up 12 percent at 910,000 head.

The number of U.S. sheep operations in 1997 was down four percent at 74,710.