La-Press-Release Louisiana Agricultural Statistics Service 5825 Florida Blvd. Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70806 Phone: (225) 922-1362 PRESS RELEASE On: January 1 Cattle Report For Information Contact: Terry Mathews For Immediate Release: January 27, 2006 800.256.4485 LOUISIANA CATTLE INVENTORY DECREASES All cattle and calves on Louisiana farms as of January 1, 2006, were estimated at 820,000 head, down 5 percent from a year ago. All cows that have calved were estimated at 500,000 head, down 6 percent from a year ago. Louisiana's 2005 calf crop was estimated at 400,000 head, down 4 percent from the 2004 calf crop. Beef cows were estimated at 468,000 head, down 5 percent from January 1, 2005; milk cows, at 32,000 head, were down 11 percent from a year ago. Other cattle inventory estimates and changes from a year ago were: beef cow replacement heifers, 82,000 head, unchanged; milk cow replacement heifers, 9,000 head, unchanged; other heifers, 18,000 head, unchanged; steers 500 pounds and over, 20,000 head, down 9 percent; bulls 500 pounds and over, 32,000 head, unchanged, and calves under 500 pounds, 159,000 head, down 5 percent. CATTLE INVENTORY - JANUARY 1 Louisiana | United States 2005 | 2006 | 2005 | 2006 Item ---- Thousand Head ---- | ---- Thousand Head ---- All Cattle and Calves 860 820 95,438 97,102 Beef Cows 494 468 32,915 33,253 Milk Cows 36 32 9,005 9,058 Beef Cow Replacements Heifers 82 82 5,691 5,905 Milk Cow Replacements Heifers 9 9 4,118 4,278 Other Heifers 18 18 9,763 9,795 Steers 500 Pounds and Over 22 20 16,476 16,923 Bulls 500 Pounds and Over 32 32 2,219 2,263 Calves, Under 500 Pounds 167 159 15,250 15,626 Cattle on Feed --- --- 13,745 14,132 2004 | 2005 | 2004 | 2005 Calf Crop 415 400 37,505 37,780