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Livestock, Dairy and Poultry

All cattle and calves on farms January 1, 1996 in New Jersey were estimated at 68,000 head, 5 percent more than a year ago. Value per head decreased to $790.00, down $30.00 from the 1995 level. Inventory value totaled $53.7 million, up $420,000 or 1 percent from the previous year.

Milk cows remained at the same level as 1995, holding at 23,000 head. Beef cows increased 2,000 head to 15,000 on January 1, 1996. Of the total cattle and calf inventory, cows that have calved accounted for 56 percent. Heifers weighing 500 pounds or more totaled 13,000 head, 19 percent of total inventory. Of these, 8,000 were milk cow replacements 3,000 were beef cow replacements, and 2,000 were intended for slaughter. There were 4,000 steers weighing 500 pounds and over, 6 percent of all cattle and calves. Bulls at 500 pounds and greater numbered 2,000 head or 3 percent of the total inventory. Calves under 500 pounds accounted for the remaining 11,000 animals, 16 percent of all cattle and calves on January 1, 1996. The 1995 calf crop rose 1,000 head from 1994, totaling 29,000 head.

Milk production in the Garden State totaled 320 million pounds, down 3 percent from the 330 million pounds produced in 1994. The average number of milk cows declined to 23,000 head. Milk per cow averaged 13,910 pounds in 1995 compared to 14,350 a year earlier. The leading milk producing counties continued to be Warren, Salem, Sussex, Hunterdon, and Burlington, accounting for 85 percent of the state's total. Value of production of milk totaled $42.6 million during 1995, compared with $45.5 million in 1994.

All hogs and pigs on New Jersey farms totaled 34,000 head on December 1, 1995. This number increased 10,000 head (42 percent) from the number of head on December 1, 1994. Value per head averaged $82.00, twenty dollars more than a year ago.

The total value of the hog and pig inventory value amounted to $2.8 million, compared with $1.5 million the previous year. Of the total hogs and pigs on farm in the state, 12 percent were kept for breeding and 88 percent were market hogs. The New Jersey pig crop totaled 23,200, down 1 percent from 1994.

The sheep and lamb inventory total increased to 18,500 on January 1, 1996, up 1,600 head (9 percent) from one year earlier. Value per head, at $123.00 is $13.00 above last year's level.

Total inventory value of all sheep and lambs rose to $2.3 million, an increase of 22 percent over the January 1, 1995 level of $1.9 million.

Wool production totaled 93,000 pounds in 1995, up 9 percent from the 85,000 pounds in 1994. Fleece weight average was up 1.8 pounds from 1994 to 9.3 pounds. Sheep shorn for 1995 totaled 10,000 animals, 12 percent less than a year ago. The value of wool production in 1995 increased to $71,000, up $15,000 from 1994.

Egg production in the Garden State in 1995 decreased to 444 million eggs, compared to 451 million eggs in 1994. Eggs per layer averaged 249, down from 273 the year before. Layers on New Jersey farms averaged 1.78 million during 1995, rising 8 percent from 1.65 million the preceding year. In 1995, poultry managers in the state received on average 74.6 cents per dozen eggs, up 5 percent from the 71.0 cents per dozen received in 1994. This price reflects the average price received by egg producers for wholesale and retail sales of all sizes and grades of eggs. The value of egg production increased to $27.6 million during 1995, up from $26.7 million in 1994.

Sales of chickens (excluding meat chickens) remained the same as the 1994 level at 1.0 million. The average price received in 1995 was 2.0 cents per pound, down from the 1994 average price of 4.0 cents per pound. Value of sales equaled $70,000 down $74,000 from the preceding year.

New Jersey turkey production in 1995 was 88,000 birds, up 3,000 from the number of turkeys raised in 1994. Turkey growers received an average price of 90.0 cents per pound compared with 85.0 cents the previous year. Value of production increased to $1.78 million, up 3 percent from $1.73 million in 1994.

Honey production in the third colony amounted to 272,000 pounds, declining 8 percent from the 297,000 pounds produced in 1994. Beekeepers received an average price of 71.0 cents per pound, up 9.0 cents from last year. The value of production rose from the 1994 level of $184,000 to $193,000 in 1995.

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