U.S. Sheep And Lamb Inventory
Drops To New Record Low Level

WASHINGTON —(USDA)— The total U.S. sheep and lamb inventory for January 1, 1999, at 7.24 million head, was down eight percent from a year ago and 10 percent below two years ago.

The nation’s inventory is now only 13 percent of what it was in 1942 when it reached a peak of 56.2 million head.

The breeding sheep inventory declined five percent to 5.31 million head. Ewes one year old and older were down five percent at 4.34 million head, and market sheep and lambs were down 13 percent at 1.92 million head. Lambs comprised 96 percent of that total and sheep four percent.

Lambs weighing under 65 pounds made up 26 percent of the market supply, 17 percent weighed 65-84 pounds, 27 percent 85-105 pounds, and 26 percent were over 105 pounds.

The 1998 lamb crop of 5.01 million head was down six percent from 1997. This compares with the previous record low of 5.36 million head set a year ago.

The lambing rate was 110 per 100 ewes one year old and older on January 1, 1998, compared with 109 in 1997. The number of operations with sheep during 1998 declined five percent to 68,810, and was 10 percent below 1996.

Most of the larger sheep producing states in the West and Mountain areas had declining numbers except California, which was up one percent at 810,000 head; North Dakota, up three percent at 134,000 head; and South Dakota and Arizona, unchanged at 420,000 and 140,000 head, respectively.

Texas, the largest sheep producing state in the nation, was down 12 percent at 1.35 million head. Wyoming was down seven percent at 660,000 head, Colorado down 23 percent at 440,000 head, Utah down five percent at 400,000 head, Montana down eight percent at 380,000 head, New Mexico down five percent at 275,000 head, and Idaho was down seven percent at 265,000 head.

In the Midwest, Minnesota, Nebraska, Missouri, Wisconsin and Indiana showed slight increases in numbers, as did a few Eastern states.