California feedlots with capacity of 1,000 head or more see cattle on feed up 7% year-over-year to 505,000 head in January, USDA says; feedlot placements up 2% to 55,000 head
Andrew Rogers
SACRAMENTO, California
,
March 2, 2012
(press release)
–
CALIFORNIA CATTLE ON FEED
Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter in California feedlots totaled 505 thousand head on February 1, 2012, one percent below last month, and 7 percent above February 2011. During January, placements of 55.0 thousand head were 2 percent above the previous year. Marketings of 57.0 thousand head were 12 percent higher than January 2011. Other disappearance totaled 3.0 thousand head.
U.S. CATTLE ON FEED UP 2 PERCENT
Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the U.S. for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.8 million head on February 1, 2012. The inventory was 2 percent above February 1, 2011.
Placements in feedlots during January totaled 1.85 million, 2 percent below 2011. Net placements were 1.77 million head. During January, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 445 thousand, 600-699 pounds were 430 thousand, 700-799 pounds were 525 thousand, and 800 pounds and greater were 447 thousand.
Marketings of fed cattle during January totaled 1.82 million, 2 percent above 2011.
Other disappearance totaled 81.0 thousand during January, 42 percent above 2011.
CALIFORNIA CATTLE AND CALF INVENTORY
All cattle and calves in California as of January 1, 2012 totaled 5.35 million head, 3 percent above the previous year. Beef cows, with 620 thousand head, were 3 percent above the previous year, and milk cows increased 2 percent to 1.78 million head. All heifers weighing more than 500 pounds were estimated at 1.15 million head, 6 percent above the previous year. Steers 500 pounds and over totaled 630 thousand head, 7 percent above last year. Bulls in the same weight category totaled 70.0 thousand head, unchanged from last year. Calves weighing less than 500 pounds, at 1.10 million head, were also unchanged from a year ago.
JANUARY 1 U.S. CATTLE INVENTORY DOWN 2 PERCENT
All cattle and calves in the United States as of January 1, 2012 totaled 90.8 million head, 2 percent below the 92.7 million on January 1, 2011. This is the lowest January 1 inventory of all cattle and calves since the 88.1 million on hand in 1952.
All cows and heifers that have calved, at 39.1 million, were down 2 percent from the 40.0 million on January 1, 2011.
• Beef cows, at 29.9 million, were down 3 percent from January 1, 2011.
• Milk cows, at 9.2 million, were up 1 percent from January 1, 2011.
Other class estimates on January 1, 2012 and the change from January 1, 2011, are as follows:
• All heifers 500 pounds and over, 19.4 million, down 1 percent.
• Beef replacement heifers, 5.2 million, up 1 percent.
• Milk replacement heifers, 4.5 million, down 1 percent.
• Other heifers, 9.6 million, down 2 percent.
• Steers weighing 500 pounds and over, 16.1 million, down 2 percent.
• Bulls weighing 500 pounds and over, 2.1 million, down 5 percent.
• Calves under 500 pounds, 14.1 million, down 3 percent.
• Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter in all feedlots,
14.1 million, up 1 percent.
• The combined total of calves under 500 pounds, and other
heifers and steers over 500 pounds outside of feedlots was 25.7 million, down 4 percent.
U.S. CALF CROP DOWN 1 PERCENT
The 2011 calf crop was estimated at 35.3 million head, down 1 percent from 2010. This is the smallest calf crop since the 34.9 million born during 1950. Calves born during the first half of 2011 are estimated at 25.7 million, down 1 percent from 2010.
CALIFORNIA AND U.S. GOATS
California’s goat inventory on January 1, 2012 for angora goats totaled 3.50 thousand head, milk goats totaled 41.0 thousand head, and meat and other goats totaled 96.5 thousand head.
U.S. meat and all other goats totaled 2.36 million head on January 1, 2012, down 4 percent from 2011. Milk goat inventory remained unchanged from last year at 360 thousand head, while Angora goats were down 15 percent, totaling 146 thousand head.
CALIFORNIA SHEEP AND LAMB INVENTORY
The inventory of all sheep and lambs in California totaled 570 thousand head on January 1, 2012, 5 percent below last year.
Breeding sheep and lambs totaled 320 thousand head, 3 percent below January 1, 2011.
Market sheep and lambs totaled 250 thousand head, 7 percent below January 1, 2011. Market lambs comprised 98 percent of the total.
U.S. ALL SHEEP AND LAMB INVENTORY DOWN 2 PERCENT
All sheep and lamb inventory in the United States on January 1, 2012, totaled 5.35 million head, down 2 percent from 2011.
Breeding sheep inventory decreased to 3.98 million head on January 1, 2012, down 3 percent from 4.08 million head on January 1, 2011. Ewes one year old and older, at 3.16 million head, were 2 percent below last year.
Market sheep and lambs on January 1, 2012, totaled 1.37 million head, down 2 percent from January 1, 2011. Market lambs comprised 94 percent of the total market inventory. Twenty-two percent were lambs under 65 pounds, 12 percent were 65 - 84 pounds, 22 percent were 85 - 105 pounds, and 38 percent were over 105 pounds. Market sheep comprised the remaining 6 percent of total market inventory.
The 2011 lamb crop of 3.51 million head was down 2 percent from 2010. The 2011 lambing rate was 109 lambs per 100 ewes one year old and older on January 1, 2011, an increase of 2 percent from 2010.
WOOL PRODUCTION
Shorn wool production in California during 2011 was 2.90 million pounds, down 3 percent from 2010. Sheep and lambs shorn, at 470 thousand head, was 4 percent below the previous year. The average price paid for wool sold in 2011 was $1.70 per pound for a total value of $4.93 million dollars, compared to $3.75 million dollars in 2010.
Shorn wool production in the United States during 2011 was 29.3 million pounds, down 4 percent from 2010. Sheep and lambs shorn totaled 4.03 million head, also down 4 percent from 2010. The average price paid for wool sold in 2011 was a record high $1.67 per pound for a total value of 48.9 million dollars, up 40 percent from 35.0 million dollars in 2010.
CALIFORNIA COMMERCIAL SLAUGHTER
California’s production of red meat during January 2012 totaled 141.5 million pounds (dressed weight), 4 percent lower than the previous month, and 1 percent lower than last January. This figure includes slaughter in Federally-inspected and State-inspected plants, but excludes slaughter done on farms. In January 2012, the average live weight of cattle slaughtered was 1,292 pounds, calves 106 pounds, sheep & lambs 145 pounds, and hogs 238 pounds.
JANUARY PORK PRODUCTION 5 PERCENT ABOVE LAST YEAR
Commercial red meat production for the United States totaled 4.12 billion pounds in January, up 2 percent from the 4.04 billion pounds produced in January 2011.
Beef production, at 2.11 billion pounds, was slightly below the previous year. Cattle slaughter totaled 2.72 million head, down 1 percent from January 2011. The average live weight was down 1 pound from the previous year, at 1,300 pounds.
Veal production totaled 10.4 million pounds, 3 percent below January 2011. Calf slaughter totaled 67.7 thousand head, 6 percent below January 2011. The average live weight was unchanged from last year, at 262 pounds.
Pork production totaled 1.99 billion pounds, 5 percent above the previous year. Hog slaughter totaled 9.54 million head, 5 percent above January 2011. The average live weight was unchanged from the previous year, at 278 pounds.
Lamb and mutton production, at 12.1 million pounds, was 8 percent above January 2011. Sheep slaughter totaled 165 thousand head, 2 percent above last year. The average live weight was 147 pounds, up 8 pounds from January a year ago.
January 2011 contained 21 weekdays (including 1 holiday) and 5 Saturdays.
January 2012 contained 22 weekdays (including 2 holidays) and 4 Saturdays.
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