December 17, 2019

USDA to survey 40,000 cattle operations in the United States

The US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will conduct the survey in January to provide an up-to-date measure of US cattle inventories, reported Morris Herald-News.

Mark Schleusener, Illinois State Statistician said the information procured from the survey will assist producers to make informed business decisions, such as herd expansion or reduction plans. Moreover, packers and government leaders will be able to evaluate projected slaughter volumes and define potential export supplies.

Producers will be able to report their beef and dairy cattle inventories, calf crop, death loss and cattle on feed inventory during the first two weeks of January 2020.

NASS will make the survey accessible for producers through internet, telephone or mail responses. Producers have the option of an interview with a NASS representative too.

The NASS survey will also measure goat and sheep inventories, which include kids and lambs, in addition to mohair and wool production.

The January cattle report will be published January 31, 2020 and will be available online at www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/index.php.

A separate US Sheep and Goats Inventory survey is currently being conducted from December 2019. The survey will measure goat and sheep inventories, which include kids and lambs in addition to mohair and wool production.

-      Morris Herald-News