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Iowa Cattle Industry Facts

      Total Cattle Inventory in Iowa (as of January 1, 2024; -1.4%)                              3,500,000

      State Rank All Cattle and Calves (January 1, 2024)                                            Eighth

      Cattle on Feed in Iowa (January 1, 2024; +1.7%)                                                  1,210,000

      State Rank Cattle and Calves on Feed (January 1, 2024)                                   Fourth

      Yearly Fed Cattle Marketings (2021; -4.4%)                                                          1,624,000

      Number of Feedlots (2023 Census)                                                                     4,102

      Number of Cattle Operations (2022 Census)                                                      21,750

      Number of Farms with Beef Cows (2022 Census)                                              17,214

      Number of Beef Cows (January 1, 2024; -4.7%)                                                  825,000 

      State Rank Number of Beef Cows (January 1, 2024)                                         Twelfth

      Number of Farms with Dairy Cows (2022 Census)                                            1,016

      Number of Dairy Cows (January 1, 2024; 0.0%)                                                 245,000

      State Rank Number of Dairy Cows (January 1, 2024)                                        Eleventh

      Cash Receipts from Cattle and Calves (2023)                                                   $5.877 Billion

      Iowa Jobs Directly Related to the Cattle Industry (2023)                                 16,665

      Iowa Jobs Indirectly Related to the Cattle Industry (2023)                               9,308

      Iowa Jobs Induced by the Cattle Industry (2023)                                              5,079

 

In 2023, Iowa’s cattle industry contributed in excess of
$9.45 billion in business activity to Iowa’s economy

 

 Sources:  Department of Economics, Iowa State University; Iowa Agricultural Statistics, U.S. Department of Agriculture; 2024 Cattle Report and 2022 Census of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

U.S. Cattle Industry Facts

  • January 1, 2025 Cattle inventory: 86,662,200 -0.6% (USDA NASS)  
  • 2023 estimated economic impact: $99.446 billion in farm gate cash receipts (USDA NASS) 
  • 2022 Number of cow herds: 647,254 (2022 Census) 
    • 27.864 million beef cows (January 1, 2025 -0.5%) (USDA NASS) 
    • 9.349 million dairy cows (January 1, 2025 0.03%) (USDA NASS) 
    • 33.530 million head calf crop (2024 -0.1%) (USDA NASS) 
    • 88 percent of cow herds have less than 100 cows (2022 Census) 
  • 2024 beef and beef variety exports: 1.286 million metric tons (2.836 billion pounds); $10.455 billion (USMEF)  
    • Top export markets: South Korea, Hong Kong/China, Japan, Mexico, Canada 
  • Top 5 states for Cattle on Feed (January 1, 2025) (USDA NASS)
    1. Texas – 2,790,000 hd; -2.8%
    2. Nebraska – 2,700,000 hd; -1.8% 
    3. Kansas – 2,500,000; hd -3.8%
    4. Iowa – 1,210,000 hd; +2.5% 
    5. Colorado – 1,080,000 hd; +2.9% 
  • 54 percent of the total value of U.S. sales of cattle and calves comes from the top 5 states with cattle on feed inventory (2022) (USDA NASS) 
    1. Texas
    2. Nebraska
    3. Kansas
    4. Iowa
    5. Colorado 
  • Feedyard cost of gain: $0.81/lb from 2017-2021; $1.20/lb in 2022, $1.26/lb in 2023 (ISU Estimated Livestock Returns-Finishing Yearling Steers)
  • Average producer age: 58.3 beef cattle ranching and farming; 54.9 cattle feedlots (2022 Census) 
  • 2023: 32.233 million head of cattle harvested under USDA inspection; 26.547 billion pounds of commercial, federally inspected beef production. Average dressed weight 826 pounds. (USDA NASS)  

USDA NASS - National Agricultural Statistics Service
USMEF – U.S. Meat Export Federation