Ohio cattle numbers remain steady

REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio — The number of cattle and calves in Ohio Jan. 1, 2012, was estimated at 1.28 million head, up 4 percent from last year, according to the Ohio office of the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Beef cows, at 300,000 head, were up 3 percent from last year, and milk cows, at 270,000 head, were unchanged from last year.

Ohio’s beef replacement heifers were at 55,000, the same as last year but dairy replacement heifers were down 5,000 head from last year. Other heifers, at 70,000 head, were up 7 percent from last year.

Steers 500 pounds and over were up 8 percent from last year to 195,000 head.

Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market, at 180,000 head increased by 6 percent.

Bulls, at 20,000 head, declined by 5,000 head from Jan. 1, 2011. Ohio’s calf crop, at 490,000 head, increased by 9 percent from last year.

U.S. picture

All cattle and calves in the United States as of Jan. 1, totaled 90.8 million head, 2 percent below the 92.7 million on Jan. 1, 2011. This is the lowest Jan. 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 Jan. 1, 2011. Beef cows, at 29.9 million, were down 3 percent from Jan. 1, 2011.

Milk cows, at 9.2 million, were up 1 percent from Jan. 1, 2011.

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. 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.