Sheep Inventory Up Again

Sheep Inventory Up Again

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service’s annual Sheep and Goats Report, all sheep and lamb inventory in the United States on Jan. 1 totaled 5.32 million head, up 1 percent from the same time in 2015.

States with the largest increases in sheep and lamb numbers last year included: North Dakota, 14 percent; Kentucky, 10 percent; Pennsylvania, Tennessee and West Virginia, 9 percent.

Breeding sheep inventory at 3.97 million head increased 1 percent from 3.94 million head on Jan. 1, 2015. Ewes 1 year old and older, at 3.13 million head, were slightly above last year. Market sheep and lambs on Jan. 1 totaled 1.36 million head, up 1 percent. Market lambs comprised 94 percent of the total market inventory, while market sheep comprised the remaining 6 percent.

Shorn wool production in the United States during 2015 was 27.1 million pounds, up 1 percent from 2014. Sheep and lambs shorn totaled 3.68 million head, unchanged from 2014. The average price paid for wool sold in 2015 was $1.45 per pound for a total value of $39.3 million, up 1 percent from $38.9 million in 2014.

For the full report, visit, USDA.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/SheeGoat/SheeGoat-01-29-2016.pdf.

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