SD-CROP-LIVESTOCK

NEWS RELEASE
United States Department of Agriculture
National Agricultural Statistics Service
South Dakota Field Office - Sioux Falls, SD

Media contact: South Dakota Office, 605/323-6500
Email:  nass-sd@nass.usda.gov

SOUTH DAKOTA CATTLE INVENTORY UP

SIOUX FALLS, January 27, 2006 -- All cattle and calves in South Dakota as 
of January 1, 2006 totaled 3.75 million head, up from last year’s revised 
3.70 million head, according to the South Dakota office of USDA’s National 
Agricultural Statistics Service.  This is up 1 percent from last year and 
3 percent above two years ago.

All cows and heifers that have calved, at 1.80 million head, were up 1 
percent from the 1.79 million head on January 1, 2005.  Other classes and 
their changes from a year ago are:

	*	Beef cows, at 1.72 million head, up 9,000 head from one year 
                ago.
	*	Milk cows, at 81,000 head, up 1,000 head from last year.
        *	All heifers 500 pounds and over, at 840,000 head, down from 
                855,000 head on January 1, 2005.
        *	Steers 500 pounds and over, at 700,000 head, down from 710,000 
                head a year earlier.
        *	Calves under 500 pounds, at 320,000 head, up from 260,000 head 
                a year earlier.

Calves born during 2005 totaled 1,720,000 head, unchanged from a year earlier.

Total cattle on feed for slaughter market in South Dakota on January 1, 2006 
numbered 400,000 head.  This is also unchanged from one year earlier.

Access this complete report at:
http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/reports/nassr/livestock/pct-bb/catl0106.pdf