All cattle and calves in the United States on July 1, 2018 totaled 103 million head, 1 percent above the 102 million head on July 1, 2017. 

All cows and heifers that have calved, at 41.9 million head, were 1 percent above the 41.6 million head on July 1, 2017. Beef cows, at 32.5 million head, were up 1 percent from a year ago. Milk cows, at 9.40 million head, were unchanged from previous year. 

All heifers 500 pounds and over on July 1, 2018 totaled 16.3 million head, 1 percent above the 16.2 million head on July 1, 2017. Beef replacement heifers, at 4.60 million head, were down 2 percent from a year ago. Milk replacement heifers, at 4.20 million head, were unchanged from previous year. Other heifers, at 7.50 million head, were 3 percent above a year earlier. 

Steers 500 pounds and over on July 1, 2018 totaled 14.5 million head, unchanged from July 1, 2017. 

Bulls 500 pounds and over on July 1, 2018 totaled 2.10 million head, up 5 percent from July 1, 2017. 

Calves under 500 pounds on July 1, 2018 totaled 28.4 million head, up 2 percent from July 1, 2017. 

Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for all feedlots totaled 13.3 million head on July 1, 2018. The inventory is up 4 percent from the July 1, 2017 total of 12.8 million head. Cattle on feed in feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head accounted for 84.8 percent of the total cattle on feed on July 1, 2018, up slightly from previous year. The combined total of calves under 500 pounds and other heifers and steers over 500 pounds (outside of feedlots) is 37.1 million head. This is 1 percent above the 36.9 million head on July 1, 2017. 

CALF CROP UP 2 PERCENT 

The 2018 calf crop in the United States is expected to be 36.5 million head, up 2 percent from last year's calf crop. Calves born during the first half of 2018 are estimated at 26.6 million head, up 2 percent from the first half of 2017. An additional 9.90 million calves are expected to be born during the second half of 2018.