The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released their annual Cattle Inventory Report, and it shows there were 86.7 million head of cattle and calves on U.S. farms as of January 1, 2025, which is down one percent from January 1, 2024.
Other key findings in the report were:
- Of the 86.7 million head inventory, all cows and heifers that have calved totaled 37.2 million.
- There are 27.9 million beef cows in the United States as of Jan. 1, 2025, down 1% from last year.
- The number of milk cows in the United States increased slightly to 9.35 million.
- U.S. calf crop was estimated at 33.5 million head, down slightly from previous year.
- All cattle on feed were at 14.3 million head, down 1% from 2024.
To obtain an accurate measurement of the current state of the U.S. cattle industry, NASS surveyed approximately 36,100 operators across the nation during the first half of January. Surveyed producers were asked to report their cattle inventories as of Jan. 1, 2025, and calf crop for the entire year of 2024.
The complete cattle report is available at nass.usda.gov/Publications.
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