United States and Canadian Cattle



News Release                                            August 17, 2005

                                   
                  July Cattle Inventory Up 1 Percent



SIOUX FALLS, August 17, 2005    All cattle and calves in the U. S. and Canada combined
totaled 121.8 million head on July 1, 2005, up 1 percent from a year ago.  All cows and heifers
that have calved, at 49.4 million head, was also up 1 percent from a year ago.

All cattle and calves in the United States as of July 1, 2005 totaled 104.5 million head, 1 percent
above the 103.6 million on July 1, 2004 and 1 percent above the 103.9 million two years ago. 

All cattle and calves in Canada as of  July 1, 2005, totaled 17.3 million head, up 3 percent from
the 16.8 million on July 1, 2004, and 10 percent above the 15.7 million two years ago.  All cows
and heifers that have calved, at 6.6 million, was up 2 percent from the 6.4 million on July 1, 2004,
and 10 percent above the 6.0 million from two years ago. 

This data is a result of a joint effort by Statistics Canada and USDA's National Agricultural
Statistics Service to release the number of cattle and calves by class and calf crop for both
countries within one publication.  This information was requested by the U.S. cattle industry to
provide producers additional information about potential beef supplies.  U.S. inventory numbers
were previously released on July 22, 2005. 



       The complete report can be accessed at www.usda.gov/nass/
               or call Carter Anderson or Steve Noyes at
                             605-323-6500