There were 89.3 million head of cattle and calves on U.S. farms as of Jan. 1, 2023, according to the Cattle report published today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

Other key findings in the report were:

- Of the 89.3 million head inventory, all cows and heifers that have calved totaled 38.3 million.

- There are 28.9 million beef cows in the United States as of Jan. 1, 2023, down 4% from last year.

- The number of milk cows in the United States increased to 9.40 million.

- U.S. calf crop was estimated at 34.5 million head, down 2% from 2021.

- All cattle on feed were at 14.2 million head, down 4% from 2022.

To obtain an accurate measurement of the current state of the U.S. cattle industry, NASS surveyed approximately 35,400 operators across the nation during the first half of January. Surveyed producers were asked to report their cattle inventories as of Jan. 1, 2023, and calf crop for the entire year of 2022 by internet, mail, telephone, or in-person interview.

There will be a question and answer session during a live #StatChat on @usda_nass Twitter account today at 4 p.m. EST to answer your questions about the Cattle report.

The Cattle report and all other NASS reports are available online at nass.usda.gov/Publications.