July 1 Cattle Inventory Up 4 Percent from 2015
All cattle and calves in the United States, as of July 1, 2017, totaled 103 million head. This is 4 percent above the 98.2 million head on July 1, 2015.
All cows and heifers that have calved, at 41.9 million head, are 5 percent above the 39.8 million head on July 1, 2015. Beef cows, at 32.5 million head, are up 7 percent from two years ago. Milk cows, at 9.40 million head, are up 1 percent from 2015.
All heifers 500 pounds and over, as of July 1, 2017, totaled 16.2 million head. This is 3 percent above the 15.7 million head on July 1, 2015. Beef replacement heifers, at 4.70 million head, are down 2 percent from two years ago. Milk replacement heifers, at 4.20 million head, are unchanged from 2015. Other heifers, at 7.30 million head, are 9 percent above two years earlier.
Calves under 500 pounds in the United States, as of July 1, 2017, totaled 28.0 million head. This is 5 percent above the 26.7 million head on July 1, 2015. Steers weighing 500 pounds and over totaled 14.5 million head, up 3 percent from two years ago. Bulls weighing 500 pounds and over totaled 2.00 million head, up 5 percent from 2015.
Calf Crop Up 3 Percent from 2016
The 2017 calf crop in the United States is expected to be 36.3 million head, up 3 percent from last year's calf crop and up 6 percent from 2015. Calves born during the first half of 2017 are estimated at 26.5 million head. This is up 4 percent from the first half of 2016 and 8 percent above 2015. An additional 9.80 million calves are expected to be born during the second half of 2017.
Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for all feedlots totaled 12.8 million head on July 1, 2017. The inventory is up 6 percent from the July 1, 2015 total of 12.1 million head. Cattle on feed, in feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head, accounted for 84.5 percent of the total cattle on feed on July 1, 2017. This is down 0.1 percent from 2015. The combined total of calves under 500 pounds and other heifers and steers over 500 pounds (outside of feedlots) is 37.0 million head. This is 5 percent above the 35.4 million head on July 1, 2015.
For a full copy of the Cattle report please visit www.nass.usda.gov. For state specific questions please contact:
Arizona – Dave DeWalt 1-800-645-7286 Colorado – William R. Meyer 1-800-392-3202 Montana – Eric Sommer 1-800-835-2612 New Mexico – Longino Bustillos 1-800-530-8810 Utah – John Hilton 1-800-747-8522 Wyoming – Rhonda Brandt 1-800-892-1660
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SALT LAKE CITY, UT—The Center for Western Priorities’ Monuments to America RV road tour stopped in Utah today, where leaders urged President Donald Trump and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to stop the assault on popular national monuments that boost local economies. The event marked the final stop on a six-state road trip to raise awareness about the threats currently facing national monuments.
During a press briefing at the Patagonia Outlet, business leaders, outdoor advocates, and elected officials discussed how national monuments and other protected public lands help create jobs, support the local economy and define the West’s outdoor way of life.
Jennifer Rokala, Executive Director, Center for Western Priorities:
"We've traveled more than 2,000 miles, stopping in six states, and have found that Westerners of all stripes support our national monuments. I’m proud to stand here today to show our support for national monuments and to call on Secretary Zinke to leave our monuments alone."
Representative Angela Romero, Utah House of Representatives:
"When we talk about our Bears Ears, it means something more to me than just a monument. It means respecting the ones that came before us and respecting the land. I am worried about what the Trump administration is going to do with our lands. Study after study has shown national monuments help our small businesses expand and grow."Braidan Weeks, Communications Coordinator, Utah Diné Bikéyah:
"It is so important to native people that our history and culture are preserved and protected within Bears Ears National Monument. We're going to continue to work towards preserving our culture."Janine Donald, Executive Director, Elements Traverse:
"As small business owners, our livelihoods are absolutely connected to public lands and access to them. But you can't put a pricetag on the connection we feel when we recreate with our friends and families on public lands. We hope our elected officials here how important it is to us that these places are preserved.Micaela O'Leary, Assistant Store Manager, Patagonia:
"Patagonia believes public lands should remain in public hands. We have a vested economic interest in public lands, they are necessary for our business and our industry to survive."
In late April, President Trump issued an executive order instructing the Department of the Interior to review 27 national monuments protected over the last 21 years. Every indication from President Trump, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, and politicians close to them is that the outcome is preordained and the review will lead to attempts to shrink or eliminate national monuments. Rolling back national monument protections through executive action is an unprecedented, and likely illegal, move that puts all of America’s protected lands, parks, forests and monuments at risk.
Two of Utah's national monuments are among the 27 monuments threatened under President Trump’s executive order.
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is described by the Utah Office of Tourism as a vast landscape of "of colorful sandstone cliffs soaring above narrow slot canyons, picturesque washes and seemingly endless slickrock." It is home to prehistoric village sites and features an extensive network of backcountry trails.
Bears Ears National Monument holds one of the highest densities of Native American archaeological rarities and cultural sites in the United States. It’s designation as a national monument was the result of a decades-long effort by local tribal nations to protect and recognize their historical lands.
The Center for Western Priorities’ Monuments to America tour is a six-state RV road-trip highlighting national monuments across the West that are threatened by President Trump’s executive order. The tour is wrapping up at the final Outdoor Retailer trade show in Salt Lake City. Outdoor Retailer is leaving Salt Lake City for Denver Colorado after 20 years in protest of Utah politicians’ anti-public lands agenda.
This spring, the Center for Western Priorities launched a multi-state ad campaign encouraging national leaders to respect the heritage and history of America’s national monuments.
For more information, visit westernpriorities.org. To speak with an expert on public lands, contact Aaron Weiss at 720-279-0019 or aaron@westernpriorities.org.
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The Center for Western Priorities is a conservation policy and advocacy organization focused on land and energy issues across the American West.
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DENVER—Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke announced today that he has spared Colorado’s Canyons of the Ancients National Monument from his efforts to shrink or erase national monument designations.
The Center for Western Priorities released the following statement from Media Director Aaron Weiss:
“Westerners will not grovel at Secretary Zinke’s feet or thank him for partially backing down from his attempt to wipe out treasured national monument lands. All of our national monuments are a promise to future generations, and there will be nothing to celebrate until Secretary Zinke admits this entire exercise has been a folly designed to appease Washington insiders over the vehement objections of people in the West and across America.
“It's absurd to praise the Interior secretary for simply announcing that he’s not removing protections from one of America’s archaeological treasures. It’s incumbent on our elected officials to fight for all our national monuments going forward.”
The Center for Western Priorities is wrapping up a week-long road trip across the West as part of its Monuments to America campaign. On Monday, business and political leaders in Grand Junction, Colorado called on Secretary Zinke to protect Canyons of the Ancients, Bears Ears, and all of America’s national monuments, which are major economic drivers for the rural West.
CWP’s analysis of comments submitted to regulations.gov found 98 percent expressed support for keeping America’s national monuments intact.
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The Center for Western Priorities is a conservation policy and advocacy organization focused on land and energy issues across the American West.
