Where’s The Beef…Virginia Cattle Are on the Decline

Virginia’s inventory of cattle and calves declined 5 percent in the past year. Beef cow inventory fell 4 percent while the milk cow inventory was down 1 percent from 2013. Steers 500 pounds and over were down 13 percent. Virginia’s sheep and lamb inventory dropped 5 percent from a year earlier. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services says Virginia’s inventory ranks 20th in the country and represents 1.7 percent of the U.S. total.