DES MOINES, Iowa — All sheep and lambs inventory in Iowa as of January 1, 2022, totaled 160,000 head, unchanged from 2021, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Sheep and Goats report. Total breeding stock, at 114,000 head, was unchanged from one year ago.
Market sheep and lambs was unchanged from a year ago and totaled 46,000 head. The 2021 lamb crop was estimated at 115,000 head, down 4 percent from the 2020 lamb crop. Wool production for 2021 was 740,000 pounds, down 7 percent from 2020, with fleece weights averaging 5.5 pounds.
United States Sheep and Lambs
All sheep and lambs inventory in the United States on January 1, 2022 totaled 5.07 million head, down 2 percent from 2021. Breeding sheep inventory at 3.71 million head on January 1, 2022, decreased 2 percent from 3.78 million head on January 1, 2021. Ewes one year old and older, at 2.91 million head, were 2 percent below last year. Market sheep and lambs on January 1, 2022 totaled 1.36 million head, down 3 percent from January 1, 2021. Market lambs comprised 94 percent of the total market inventory. Market sheep comprised the remaining 6 percent of total market inventory.
The 2021 lamb crop of 3.16 million head was down 2 percent from 2020. The 2021 lambing rate was 107 lambs per 100 ewes one year old and older on January 1, 2021, down 1 percent from 2020.
Shorn wool production in the United States during 2021 was 22.5 million pounds, down 3 percent from 2020. Sheep and lambs shorn totaled 3.20 million head, down 2 percent from 2020. The average price paid for wool sold in 2021 was $1.70 per pound for a total value of 38.2 million dollars, down 1 percent from 38.4 million dollars in 2020.
Sheep death loss during 2021 totaled 200,000 head, down 5 percent from 2020. Lamb death loss decreased 1 percent from 370,000 head to 365,000 head in 2021.
Iowa Goats
Milk goat inventory in Iowa as of January 1, 2022, was 28,000 head, 4 percent above January 2021, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Sheep and Goats report. Total meat and other goat inventory was 41,000 head, 8 percent above the previous year.
United States Goat and Kid Inventory
All goats and kids inventory in the United States on January 1, 2022 totaled 2.55 million head, down 1 percent from 2021. Breeding goat inventory totaled 2.09 million head, down 1 percent from 2021. Does one year old and older, at 1.55 million head, were 1 percent below last year’s number. Market goats and kids totaled 457,000 head, down 2 percent from a year ago.
Kid crop for 2021 totaled 1.60 million head for all goats, down 3 percent from 2020.
Meat and all other goats totaled 2.03 million head on January 1, 2022, down 1 percent from 2021. Milk goat inventory was 410,000 head, down 2 percent from January 1, 2021, while Angora goats were down 9 percent, totaling 110,000 head.
Mohair production in the United States during 2021 was 546,000 pounds. Goats and kids clipped totaled 105,500 head. Average weight per clip was 5.2 pounds. Mohair price was $5.58 per pound with a value of 3.05 million dollars.
— USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service