The USDA’s latest cattle inventory says that, as of January 1, 2019, there were just about 29 bovines for every 100 Americans. Divide ’em all up, and we’d each get a bit more than a quarter-critter.
The United States herd grew by just under a half-million head in 2018.
South Dakota’s herd grew by 50,000 head to 4.05 million cattle, breaking our previous year tie with Iowa and keeping us at the seventh largest cattle herd in the United States. 4.3% of America’s cattle are in South Dakota.
| state | Jan 1 2018 herd | Jan 1 2019 herd | 2018 change |
| Texas | 12,500,000 | 13,000,000 | 4.00% |
| Nebraska | 6,800,000 | 6,800,000 | 0.00% |
| Kansas | 6,300,000 | 6,350,000 | 0.79% |
| Oklahoma | 5,100,000 | 5,300,000 | 3.92% |
| California | 5,200,000 | 5,150,000 | -0.96% |
| Missouri | 4,350,000 | 4,250,000 | -2.30% |
| South Dakota | 4,000,000 | 4,050,000 | 1.25% |
| Iowa | 4,000,000 | 3,950,000 | -1.25% |
| Wisconsin | 3,500,000 | 3,450,000 | -1.43% |
| Colorado | 2,850,000 | 2,850,000 | 0.00% |
| Idaho | 2,420,000 | 2,500,000 | 3.31% |
| Montana | 2,550,000 | 2,500,000 | -1.96% |
| Minnesota | 2,350,000 | 2,320,000 | -1.28% |
| Kentucky | 2,160,000 | 2,130,000 | -1.39% |
| North Dakota | 1,860,000 | 1,830,000 | -1.61% |
| Tennessee | 1,830,000 | 1,800,000 | -1.64% |
| Arkansas | 1,760,000 | 1,780,000 | 1.14% |
| Florida | 1,630,000 | 1,680,000 | 3.07% |
| Pennsylvania | 1,620,000 | 1,600,000 | -1.23% |
| New Mexico | 1,510,000 | 1,480,000 | -1.99% |
| New York | 1,480,000 | 1,450,000 | -2.03% |
| Virginia | 1,480,000 | 1,440,000 | -2.70% |
| Oregon | 1,270,000 | 1,320,000 | 3.94% |
| Ohio | 1,300,000 | 1,310,000 | 0.77% |
| Alabama | 1,340,000 | 1,300,000 | -2.99% |
| Wyoming | 1,320,000 | 1,300,000 | -1.52% |
| Illinois | 1,150,000 | 1,200,000 | 4.35% |
| Washington | 1,160,000 | 1,180,000 | 1.72% |
| Michigan | 1,160,000 | 1,150,000 | -0.86% |
| Georgia | 1,060,000 | 1,070,000 | 0.94% |
| Arizona | 1,020,000 | 1,020,000 | 0.00% |
| Mississippi | 930,000 | 900,000 | -3.23% |
| Indiana | 860,000 | 880,000 | 2.33% |
| Utah | 790,000 | 810,000 | 2.53% |
| Louisiana | 820,000 | 800,000 | -2.44% |
| North Carolina | 800,000 | 800,000 | 0.00% |
| Nevada | 465,000 | 470,000 | 1.08% |
| West Virginia | 395,000 | 390,000 | -1.27% |
| South Carolina | 340,000 | 345,000 | 1.47% |
| Vermont | 260,000 | 255,000 | -1.92% |
| Maryland | 193,000 | 197,000 | 2.07% |
| Hawaii | 144,000 | 142,000 | -1.39% |
| Maine | 81,000 | 78,000 | -3.70% |
| Connecticut | 50,000 | 47,000 | -6.00% |
| Massachusetts | 38,000 | 37,000 | -2.63% |
| New Hampshire | 36,000 | 33,000 | -8.33% |
| New Jersey | 29,000 | 30,000 | 3.45% |
| Alaska | 15,000 | 16,000 | 6.67% |
| Delaware | 17,000 | 15,000 | -11.76% |
| Rhode Island | 5,000 | 4,700 | -6.00% |
| United States | 94,298,000 | 94,759,700 | 0.49% |
Our herd grew 1.25% in 2018, stronger than the national rate of 0.49%. Nebraska’s herd stayed steady at 6.8 million head; all of our other neighboring states reduced their herds by more than 1%.
If Caesar were a cow instead of an ape, he’d start the bovine rebellion here in South Dakota. Cattle outnumber us South Dakotans 4.57 to 1, the highest cow-to-human ratio in the U.S. We are one of nine states with more cattle than people:
No one wants to trade with us, the US, so looks like we will have plenty of “hamberder” to chow on. Get the grill ready with it on those 29 bovines. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/eu-us-trade-talks-trump-european-parliament-vote-a8822661.html
Was there a breakdown between beef and dairy critters? Wisconsin has lost a considerable number of family dairy farms and Drumpf’s attempts to negotiate a dairy deal with Canada turned out to be much sweeter for Canada than Drumpf’s supporters. Who could have guessed that outcome? Pick me. Pick me!
Another resounding victory over Mississippi.
I expect SD to beat Missouri and move up another spot soon. SD is built for hoofed grazers.
Beef and dairy, Mike? Here are some relevant quotes from the report linked above:
The state charts in the report show South Dakota increased beef cows that calved (1.8M) and milk cows that have calved (122K).
Debbo, does Missouri not have a Mark Mickelson beating the CAFO drum? Is ag giving way to other industries and urbanization in Missouri?
Thanks for the breakdown, Master.
I don’t know Cory. Missouri is fairly crooked, but not nearly as bent as Marky CAFO and the SDGOP.
I have cousins living there and Missouri is a more urbanized state on each vertical side. The Ozarks are only suitable for small scale farming and, of course, moonshining. The only livestock in the Ozarks are chickens and hogs.
Small-scale lots with chickens and hogs—we need more of that, more people growing more food, providing more competition in the marketplace and more well-fed, home-fed children for the school districts.
We must kill all of these bovines immediately! The world will end in 12 years if we don’t.
I love the beef, the buffalo and the young lamb, not the sheep though or the horse. Sheep taste to strong. Young, tender lamb, damn good. The CAFO’s though, are not in the best interests of anyone but the money men, corporate Amerika. Give me the beef on the range and a short finishing, has always worked for me.
Just because you’re a vegetarian Pearson, doesn’t make you right.
Jerry, mutton can be good, if it’s seasoned properly. The only cook I know who could do it right was my mother.