Michigan Beef Herd Up 2 Percent; Milk Cows Down Slightly

All cattle and calves in Michigan as of January 1, 2023 were 1.10 million head, down 2 percent from last year, according to Marlo D. Johnson, director of the USDA, NASS, Great Lakes Regional Office. Michigan highlights from the January 1 report follow:

• Beef cow numbers increased 2 percent to 98,000 head. Beef replacement heifers decreased 17 percent to 19,000 head.
• Milk cows decreased slightly to 432,000 head. Heifers for milk cow replacement decreased 8 percent to 140,000 head.
• The 2022 calf crop was 370,000 head, down 6 percent from 2021.

Nationally, all cattle and calves in the United States as of January 1, 2023 totaled 89.3 million head, 3 percent below the 92.1 million head on January 1, 2022. All cows and heifers that have calved, at 38.3 million head, were 3 percent below the 39.4 million head on January 1, 2022. Beef cows, at 28.9 million head, were down 4 percent from a year ago. Milk cows, at 9.40 million head, were up slightly from the previous year. All heifers 500 pounds and over as of January 1, 2023 totaled 19.2 million head, 4 percent below the 19.9 million head on January 1, 2022. Beef replacement heifers, at 5.16 million head, were down 6 percent from a year ago. Milk replacement heifers, at 4.34 million head, were down 2 percent from the previous year. Other heifers, at 9.67 million head, were 3 percent below a year earlier.