Beef Industry Statistics

Cattle inventory (as of Jan 1, 2015): 89.9 million, up 1% from Jan. 2014.
Economic impact: $44 billion in farm gate receipts (USDA NASS)
Number of farms and ranches specializing in beef cattle: 619,172 (2012)
Number of cattle & calf operations: 915,000 (2012)
- 29.7 million beef cows
- 9.3 million milk cows
- 5.8 million beef replacement heifers, up 4% from Jan. 2014
- 33.9 million head calf crop (2013)
- The average cow herd size: 40 head
Value of U.S. beef exports: $5.711 billion (2013), up from $3.839 billion in 2010
- Top export markets: Japan, Canada, Mexico and South Korea
Top 5 states for all cattle and calves (2015):
  1. Texas - 11.8 million
  2. Nebraska - 6.30 million
  3. Kansas - 6 million
  4. California - 5.2 million
  5. Oklahoma - 4.6 million
Top 5 states for cattle in feedlots with capacity more than 1000 head (March 2015)
1. Nebraska - 2.49 million
2. Texas - 2.45 million
3. Kansas - 2.1 million
4. Colorado - .870 million
5. Iowa - .660 million
Average producer age: 58.3 (USDA 2012 Ag Census)
U.S. beef production (commercial carcass weight) was 25.8 billion pounds.
The total U.S. beef consumed was 25.5 billion pounds.
Average annual U.S. retail Choice beef price in 2013 was $5.29/lb.
U.S. commercial slaughter total was 31.9 million head