Cattle Death Loss (Released May 11, 2011)

摘要

This report is released every five years as a cooperative effort between the National Agricultural Statistics Service and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services and Veterinary Services. The information presented in this report is based on producer reports from the January 2011 Cattle survey and includes detailed percentage breakouts of cattle and calf losses by predators and non-predator causes as well as non-lethal control measures. Cattle and calf losses from predators and non-predator causes in the United States totaled 3.99 million head (excluding Alaska) during 2010. This represents 4.3 percent of the 93.9 million cattle and calves in the United States at the beginning of 2010. Losses of cattle weighing more than 500 pounds totaled 1.73 million head or 43.4 percent of total losses. Calves weighing less than 500 pounds lost to all causes totaled 2.26 million head or 56.6 percent of total losses. Cattle and calf losses from animal predators totaled nearly 220 thousand head during 2010. This represented 5.5 percent of the total deaths from all causes and resulted in a loss of $98.5 million to farmers and ranchers. Coyotes and dogs caused the majority of cattle and calf predator losses accounting for 53.1 percent and 9.9 percent respectively. Cattle and calf losses from non-predator causes totaled 3.77 million head or 94.5 percent of the total losses during 2010. Respiratory problems represented the leading cause of non-predator deaths, accounting for 28.0 percent, followed by digestive problems at 13.4 percent. Non-lethal predator control measures cost farmers and ranchers throughout the United States $188.5 million during 2010. Use of guard animals was the most common method at 36.9 percent. Exclusion fencing, frequent checking, and culling were the next most commonly used methods of preventing cattle and calf losses at 32.8 percent, 32.1 percent, and 28.9 percent respectively.