Missouri Retakes Second In Calf Crop; National Cattle Inventory Slips

Calf production in Missouri increased two percent in 2019, holding off a slight decline experienced nationwide. The USDA’s Cattle Inventory report Friday indicated that Missouri cows gave birth to one-point-nine-eight million calves last year, retaking the second spot from Oklahoma, which saw a six percent decline. Only Texas produced more calves in 2019. Missouri’s beef cows that calved remained behind the Sooners at two-point-zero-eight million, still a one-percent increase year-over-year. The state’s cattle inventory was up 100-thousand head at four-point-three-five million, good for sixth in the nation. The overall inventory also included 77-thousand milk cows, 420-thousand steers, and 120-thousand bulls. Missouri’s feedlots contained 110-thousand head to start the year, up 10 percent.

Nationwide, inventory decreased for the first time in six years, but slightly. Cattle population declined by less than a half-percent to 94-point-four million head, including 31-point-three million beef cows and nine-point-three million milk cows. The total calf crop of just over 36 million head was a one-percent decrease from last year, coming in below analyst expectations.