MN Cattle Numbers Down

All cattle and calves in Minnesota as of January 1, 2021, totaled 2.14 million head, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Cattle report. 

This was down 120,000 head from January 1, 2020. 

Beef cows, at 345,000 head, were down 20,000 head from last year. 

Milk cows were up 10,000 head from last year to 455,000 head. 

All heifers 500 pounds and over were down 10% to 440,000 head. 

Heifers for beef cow replacement were down 16% to 80,000 head; heifers for milk cow replacement, at 200,000 head, were down 15% from the previous year; and all other heifers were unchanged at 160,000 head. 

Steers weighing 500 pounds and over were down 6% from last year to 490,000 head. 

Bulls weighing 500 pounds and over were unchanged at 30,000 head. 

Calves under 500 pounds on January 1, 2021, totaled 380,000 head, down 7% from last year. 

The 2020 calf crop was estimated at 750,000 head, down 3% from 2019. 

Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter in all feedlots on January 1, 2021 totaled 400,000 head, unchanged from one year ago. 

All cattle and calves in the United States as of January 1, 2021, totaled 93.6 million head, slightly below the 93.8 million head on January 1, 2020. 

All cows and heifers that have calved, at 40.6 million head, were slightly below the 40.7 million head on January 1, 2020. 

Beef cows, at 31.2 million head, were down 1% from a year ago. 

Milk cows, at 9.44 million head, were up 1% from the previous year. 

All heifers 500 pounds and over as of January 1, 2021, totaled 20.0 million head, slightly below the 20.0 million head on January 1, 2020. 

Beef replacement heifers, at 5.81 million head, were up slightly from a year ago. 

Milk replacement heifers, at 4.60 million head, were down 2% from the previous year. 

Other heifers, at 9.58 million head, were 1% above a year earlier. 

Steers weighing 500 pounds and over as of January 1, 2021, totaled 16.6 million head, up slightly from January 1, 2020. 

Bulls weighing 500 pounds and over as of January 1,  2021, totaled 2.21 million head, down 1% from January 1, 2020. 

Calves under 500 pounds as of January 1, 2021, totaled 14.2 million head, down 1% from January 1, 2020. 

Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for all feedlots totaled 14.7 million head on January 1, 2021. 

The inventory is up slightly from the January 1, 2020, total of 14.7 million head. 

Cattle on feed in feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head accounted for 81.4% of the total cattle on feed on January 1, 2021, down slightly from the previous year. 

The combined total of calves under 500 pounds and other heifers and steers over 500 pounds (outside of feedlots) at 25.7 million head, was slightly below January 1, 2020. 

The 2020 calf crop in the United States was estimated at 35.1 million head, down 1% from the previous year’s calf crop. 

Calves born during the first half of 2020 were estimated at 25.8 million head, down 1% from the first half of 2019. 

Calves born during the second half of 2020 were estimated at 9.39 million head, 27% of the total 2020 calf crop. 

All inventory and calf crop estimates for July 1, 2019, January 1, 2020, and July 1, 2020 were reviewed using calf crop, official slaughter, import and export data, and the relationship of new survey information to the prior surveys. 

Based on the findings of this review, July 1, 2019 all cattle and calves decreased by 0.3%. 

January 1, 2020 all cattle and calves decreased by 0.7% and 2019 calf crop decreased by 1.3%. 

July 1, 2020 all cattle and calves decreased by 0.8% and 2020 calf crop decreased by 1.9%.