Wednesday, February 5, 2014

US Sheep, Goat Inventory Down 2%

The US sheep and lamb inventory on January 1, 2014, totaled 5.21 million head, down 2 percent from 2013. The breeding sheep inventory decreased to 3.88 million head, down 2 percent from 2013. The 2013 national average lambing rate was only 107 lambs per 100 ewes (one year old and older). Wool production in 2013 was 27.0 million pounds, down 1 percent from 2012.  In 2013, the average price paid for wool was $1.45 per pound, compared to $1.52 in 2012. The average fleece weight was 7.3 lbs.

The US goat inventory on January 1, 2014, totaled 2.76 million head, down 2 percent from 2013. The breeding goat inventory totaled 2.26 million head, down 3 percent from 2013. Meat and all other goats totaled 2.28 million head, down 2 percent from 2013. The milk goat inventory was 355 thousand head, down 1 percent. Angora goats were down 4 percent, totaling 131 thousand head.  The 2013 kid crop was 1.74 million head, 3 percent less than in 2012.

Maryland
In Maryland, the goat inventory totaled 14,800 head on January 1. This included 2,200 milk goats and 12,600 meat and other goats. The dairy goat inventory increased 10 percent from last year, whereas there was a 15 percent increase in the number of meat and other goats. Individual statistics are not reported for Maryland sheep. Maryland is lumped into the "other states" category.

Read full USDA NASS report

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