Texas Sheep and Lamb Inventory Down 5 Percent

Issue:  PR-110-08
Released:  February 1, 2008
For information contact:  Joey Owsley or Charles Drain.

The Texas inventory of all sheep and lambs totaled 1.00 million head on January 1, 2008, down 5 percent from last year’s level of 1.05 million head.

According to the annual report released by the Texas Field Office, the inventory of breeding sheep and lambs totaled 770,000 head, down 5 percent from 2007.  Breeding ewes one year old and older were down 5 percent, at 630,000 head.  Replacement lambs were down 5 percent from last year at 100,000 head.

The 2007 lamb crop totaled 450,000 head, down 10 percent from 2006, State Director David Abbe reported.

Market sheep and lambs in Texas were down 4 percent from last year, totaling 230,000 head.  Sheep for market totaled 10,000 head, down 33 percent from 2007, while lambs for market totaled 220,000 head, down 2 percent from last year.

Lambs for market weighing less than 65 pounds totaled 85,000 head; lambs weighing 65 to 84 pounds totaled 35,000 head; lambs weighing 85 to 105 pounds totaled 50,000 head, and lambs weighing over 105 pounds totaled 50,000 head.

The January 1 Texas goat inventory was down 3 percent from last year at 1.27 million head.

Angora goats totaled 150,000 head, down 17 from last year, while meat and other goats were equal to last year at 1.09 million head.

Nationally, the inventory of all sheep and lambs totaled 6.06 million head, down 2 percent from 2007.

United States breeding sheep inventory on January 1, 2008 were at 4.51 million head.  Ewes one year and older, at 3.62 million head, were 2 percent lower than last year.

The 2007 lamb crop was 4.05 million head, down slightly from 2006.  The 2007 lambing rate was 110 lambs per 100 ewes one year old and older, on hand January 1, 2007, down 1 percent from 2006.

Market sheep and lambs totaled 1.55 million head on January 1, 2008.  Market lambs comprised 95 percent of the total.

Market lambs weighing less than 65 pounds accounted for 24 percent of the total; 65 to 84 pounds, 14 percent; 85 to 105 pounds, 26 percent; and more than 105 pounds, 36 percent.  Market sheep account for 5 percent.

Nationally, the all goat inventory totaled 3.02 million head, up 3 percent from 2007.  Meat and all other goats totaled 2.50 million head, up 4 percent.  Milk goats were up 4 percent to 305,000 head and Angora goats were down 12 percent to 210,000 head.