Livestock brings home the bacon

WASHINGTON – The 2000 U.S. gross income from cattle and calves, hogs and pigs, and sheep and lambs totaled $53.4 billion, up 16 percent from 1999.

According to a report released recently by the National Agricultural Statistics Service, gross income rose for all three species. Hogs and pigs increased the most, at 36 percent, cattle and calves increased 12 percent, and sheep and lambs increased slightly from the previous year.

Cash receipts. Total 2000 cash receipts from marketings of meat animals increased 16 percent to $53.0 billion. Cattle and calves accounted for 77 percent of this total, hogs and pigs 22 percent, and sheep and lambs 1 percent.

Production increased for cattle and calves, but declined for both hogs and pigs and sheep and lambs. Average prices were up from 1999 levels for all three species.

Cattle and calves. Cash receipts from marketings of cattle and calves increased to $40.8 in 2000, a 12 percent increase.

The U.S. annual average price per 100 pounds live weight for cattle was $68.60, an increase of $5.20 from 1999. For calves, the annual average price increased $16.30 to $104.

Hogs and pigs. Cash receipts from hogs and pigs totaled $11.8 billion during 2000, up 37 percent from 1999. Marketings decreased to 26.7 billion pounds in 2000, down 1 percent from 1999. The U.S. annual average price per 100 pounds live weight increased $12 to $42.30 in 2000.

Sheep and lambs. Cash receipts from marketings of sheep and lambs in 2000 were $469 million, up slightly percent from 1999. Marketings declined 5 percent to 653 million pounds.

The U.S. annual average price per 100 pounds live weight for sheep increased from $31.10 in 1999 to $34.20 in 2000 while for lambs, the annual average price increased $4.90 to $79.40.