Minnesota Milk Cow Inventory Down, Beef Cows Unchanged

All cattle and calves in Minnesota as of January 1, 2023, totaled 2.18 million head, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Cattle report. This was down 30,000 head from January 1, 2022. Beef cows, at 360,000 head, were unchanged from last year. Milk cow inventory was down 5,000 head at 455,000 head.

All heifers 500 pounds and over were unchanged at 440,000 head. Heifers for beef cow replacement were down 6 percent from 2022 at 80,000 head; heifers for milk cow replacement, at 200,000 head, were down 5 percent from the previous year; and all other heifers were up 10 percent at 160,000 head.

Steers weighing 500 pounds and over were down 4 percent from last year at 470,000 head. Bulls weighing 500 pounds and over were unchanged at 30,000 head. Calves under 500 pounds on January 1, 2023, totaled 425,000 head, down 1 percent from last year.

The 2022 calf crop was estimated at 800,000 head, unchanged from the 2021 calf crop. Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter in all feedlots on January 1, 2023, totaled 350,000 head, down 8 percent from one year ago.

All cattle and calves in the United States as of January 1, 2023 totaled 89.3 million head, 3 % below the 92.1 million head on January 1, 2022. All cows and heifers that have calved, at 38.3 million head, were 3 below the 39.4 million head on January 1, 2022. Beef cows, at 28.9 million head, were down 4 % from a year ago. Milk cows, at 9.40 million head, were up slightly from the previous year.

All heifers 500 pounds and over as of January 1, 2023 totaled 19.2 million head, 4% below the 19.9 million head on January 1, 2022. Beef replacement heifers, at 5.16 million head, were down 6% from a year ago. Milk replacement heifers, at 4.34 million head, were down 2% from the previous year. Other heifers, at 9.67 million head, were down 3% from a year earlier. Steers weighing 500 pounds and over as of January 1, 2023 totaled 16.1 million head, down 3% from January 1, 2022. Bulls weighing 500 pounds and over as of January 1, 2023 totaled 2.03 million head, down 4% from January 1, 2022. Calves under 500 pounds as of January 1, 2023 totaled 13.6 million head, down 3% from January 1, 2022.

The 2022 calf crop in the United States was estimated at 34.5 million head, down 2% from the previous year's calf crop.