Beef Herd Expansion Set to Stall in 2018

Hi everybody it's time for your Wednesday Agri Beef minute here on the Ag Information Network of the West-I'm Russell Nemetz.

Cattle herd expansion continued in 2017, according to USDA-National Agricultural Statistics Service's 2018 Cattle Inventory Report, although at a much slower pace than 2016. The report shows inventories of beef cows and heifers calved were up 2% as of Jan. 1, 2018.

Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania saw the greatest percent change in beef cow herd numbers since 2017. South Dakota was one of the more notable results—showing an 8% increase from 2017 in beef cows calved. Louisiana, Mississippi and Missouri each showed a 5% increase. Use the table below to sort the data by state, inventory (reported in 1,000 head) and percent change from the previous year.

Replacement heifer inventories as of Jan. 1, were down 4%, suggesting producers are scaling back intentions to continue growing the herd into 2018.

To see the U.S. beef cow herd inventory by state, click here.

That's your Land and Livestock Report-I'm Russell Nemetz.