MADISON, Wis. — All sheep and lambs inventory in Wisconsin as of Jan. 1, 2023, totaled 80,000 head, down 2,000 head from 2022, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Sheep and Lambs report.
Total breeding stock, at 65,000 head, was 2 percent below one year ago. Market sheep and lambs decreased 6 percent from a year ago and totaled 15,000 head. The 2022 lamb crop was estimated at 58,000 head, down 3 percent from the 2021 lamb crop. Wool production for 2022 was 300,000 pounds, down 6 percent from 2021, with fleece weights averaging 6.3 pounds.
United States Sheep and Lambs
All sheep and lambs inventory in the United States on January 1, 2023, totaled 5.02 million head, down 1 percent from 2022. Breeding sheep inventory at 3.67 million head on January 1, 2023, decreased 1 percent from 3.71 million head on January 1, 2022. Ewes one year old and older, at 2.87 million head, were 1 percent below last year. Market sheep and lambs on January 1, 2023, totaled 1.36 million head, unchanged from January 1, 2022. Market lambs comprised 94 percent of the total market inventory. Market sheep comprised the remaining 6 percent of total market inventory.
The 2022 lamb crop of 3.11 million head was down 2 percent from 2021. The 2022 lambing rate was 107 lambs per 100 ewes one year old and older on January 1, 2022, unchanged from 2021.
Shorn wool production in the United States during 2022 was 22.2 million pounds, down 1 percent from 2021. Sheep and lambs shorn totaled 3.17 million head, down 1 percent from 2021. The average price paid for wool sold in 2022 was $1.53 per pound for a total value of 33.9 million dollars, down 11 percent from 38.2 million dollars in 2021.
Sheep death loss during 2022 totaled 205,000 head, up 3 percent from 2021. Lamb death loss increased 3 percent from 365,000 head to 375,000 head in 2022.
The complete report can be found on the USDA NASS website at www.nass.usda.gov/Publications.
— USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service