WASHINGTON, DC – All cattle and calves in the United States and Canada combined totaled 103 million head on January 1, 2022, down 2 percent from the 105 million head on January 1, 2021. All cows and heifers that have calved inventory at 44.0 million head, down 2 percent from a year ago.
The joint report by the USDA and Statistics Canada shows a 2% decline in the combined cattle inventory due to several factors, including higher feed costs and drought in parts of the U.S. Plains and Canadian Prairies. That included decreases of 2% in the U.S. and 1% in Canada.
All cattle and calves in the United States as of January 1, 2022 totaled 91.9 million head, down 2 percent from the 93.8 million head on January 1, 2021. All cows and heifers that have calved inventory at 39.5 million head, down 2 percent from a year ago.
All cattle and calves in Canada as of January 1, 2022 totaled 11.1 million head, down 1 percent from the 11.2 million on January 1, 2021. All cows and heifers that have calved inventory at 4.48 million, down 1 percent from a year ago.
The combined hog herd fell 3% to 88.3 million head, with a slight increase in the breeding herd canceled out by a reduction in the U.S. market inventory as producers tried to improve prices, along with lower pig crop and farrowing totals. The U.S. inventory was 4% lower and while the Canadian here was 1% higher, the U.S. industry is substantially larger than in Canada.
The U.S. and Canadian sheep and lamb inventory was down 1%, with a 2% reduction in the U.S. supply cancelling out a 4% gain in the Canadian herd.
The next release of combined livestock inventory numbers will be in August.
