US cattle inventory reaches 94.2 million head as of July 1, 2026

The latest USDA report shows there were 94.2 million cattle on U.S. farms as of July 1, with beef cow
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There were 94.2 million head of cattle and calves on U.S. farms as of July 1, according to a report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

The report found that all cows and heifers that have calved totaled 38.1 million out of the total inventory. The number of beef cows in the United States was reported at 28.5 million, representing a decrease of one percent from last year. The number of milk cows increased to 9.65 million during this period.

The estimated U.S. calf crop was recorded at 32.5 million head, down two percent from the previous year in 2025, while all cattle on feed reached 13.2 million head, an increase of two percent from last year.

To gather this data, NASS surveyed over 17,400 operators nationwide during the first half of July by internet, mail, or telephone regarding their cattle inventories as well as calf crop for the entire year.

The Cattle report and other related publications are available online through USDA NASS resources.

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