date:Apr 15, 2014
cated cattle and calves totaled 87.7 million as of Jan. 1, 2014, down 2% from 89.3 million from a year ago and the lowest Jan. 1 inventory of all cattle and calves since 82.1 million head recorded in 1951.
Beef production in 2014 was forecast by the U.S.D.A. to decline for the fourth consecutive year, to 24,403 million lbs., down 5% from 2013 and down 7% from 2010.
The U.S.D.A. anticipated an increase in pork and poultry production, but the spread of the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv)