With over 4.3 million beef cows, Texas doesn't just lead the nation—it powers an economic engine that feeds billions of dollars and over a hundred thousand jobs into the Lone Star State.
Key Takeaways
- Texas had 4,350,000 beef cows on January 1, 2023, representing 14.5% of the U.S. total beef cow inventory.
- Texas beef cow inventory decreased by 2% from 2022 to 2023, totaling 4.35 million head.
- On January 1, 2023, Texas had 12,000,000 total cattle and calves, the highest in the nation at 13.8% of U.S. total.
- Texas produced 1,850,000 head slaughtered under federal inspection in 2022.
- Texas commercial beef production totaled 4.8 billion pounds in 2022.
- Texas ranked first in U.S. fed beef production with 2.1 billion pounds in 2022.
- Texas economic value from beef: $68 billion total impact including indirect.
- Texas beef industry supports 130,000 jobs with $6.5 billion in labor income.
- Texas beef contributes 4.5% to state GDP at $18.4 billion direct.
- Texas exported 285,000 metric tons of beef in 2022.
- Texas beef exports to Japan valued at $450 million in 2022.
- Texas portion of U.S. beef exports: 25% by volume in 2022.
- Texas beef industry employed 54,000 direct jobs in beef production 2022.
- Texas beef operations total 128,000 farms/ranches specializing in beef.
- Texas average beef ranch size: 650 acres in 2022.
Texas leads the nation in beef production despite recent small herd declines.
Beef Production and Slaughter
- Texas produced 1,850,000 head slaughtered under federal inspection in 2022.
- Texas commercial beef production totaled 4.8 billion pounds in 2022.
- Texas ranked first in U.S. fed beef production with 2.1 billion pounds in 2022.
- Texas calf crop in 2022 was approximately 3.4 million head.
- Texas beef carcass weight averaged 850 pounds in 2022 slaughter data.
- Texas processed 1,200,000 head in state-inspected plants in 2021.
- Texas beef production value reached $12.5 billion in 2022.
- Texas led nation with 28% of U.S. steer and heifer slaughter in 2022.
- Texas packing plants processed 5.2 billion pounds of beef in 2021.
- Texas yearly beef output per cow averaged 650 pounds in 2022.
- Texas slaughter under state inspection: 950,000 head in 2022.
- Texas contributed 15% of U.S. total red meat production in 2022 at 5.1 billion lbs.
- Texas fed cattle slaughter: 1,650,000 head in 2022.
- Texas non-fed cattle slaughter totaled 200,000 head in 2022.
- Texas beef yield grade 3+ averaged 75% in 2022 inspections.
- Texas processed 4.9 million head total cattle in 2020.
- Texas beef production increased 5% from 2021 to 2022.
- Texas average hot carcass weight: 878 lbs in 2022.
- Texas custom beef slaughter: 150,000 head annually average 2019-2022.
- Texas contributed $11.8 billion in beef cash receipts in 2021.
- Texas generated $15.2 billion in beef farm cash receipts in 2022.
- Texas beef industry direct economic impact: $18.4 billion annually.
- Texas beef production multiplier effect adds $25 billion to GDP.
- Texas per capita beef production: 1,200 pounds in 2022.
- Texas 2021 beef slaughter total: 4.7 billion pounds produced.
- Texas fed beef production: 2.0 billion lbs in 2021.
Beef Production and Slaughter Interpretation
It seems that while everything might be bigger in Texas, it is also decidedly beefier, with the state confidently carving out its place as the undisputed heavyweight champion of American beef production, proving that their steaks are indeed higher than anywhere else.
Cattle Numbers and Inventory
- Texas had 4,350,000 beef cows on January 1, 2023, representing 14.5% of the U.S. total beef cow inventory.
- Texas beef cow inventory decreased by 2% from 2022 to 2023, totaling 4.35 million head.
- On January 1, 2023, Texas had 12,000,000 total cattle and calves, the highest in the nation at 13.8% of U.S. total.
- Texas all cattle and calves inventory fell 3% from January 1, 2022, to 12 million head in 2023.
- Texas ranked first nationally with 4.25 million calves under 500 pounds on January 1, 2023.
- Texas had 1,150,000 calves born between January 1 and July 1, 2022, down 1% from 2021.
- Texas beef replacements heifers numbered 475,000 on January 1, 2023, comprising 14.9% of U.S. total.
- Texas other heifers inventory stood at 1,850,000 head on January 1, 2023.
- Texas steer numbers for beef totaled 3,200,000 on January 1, 2023.
- Texas bull numbers were 275,000 on January 1, 2023.
- In 2022, Texas had 128,000 beef operations, leading the nation.
- Texas counties like Freestone led with over 100,000 beef cows in 2022 inventory reports.
- Texas mature beef cows numbered 3,875,000 on January 1, 2022.
- Texas total cattle inventory was 12.4 million head on January 1, 2022.
- Texas beef heifers 500 pounds and over totaled 1,025,000 on January 1, 2023.
- Texas calves 500-900 pounds numbered 1,450,000 on January 1, 2023.
- Texas cattle 900+ pounds inventory was 4,100,000 on January 1, 2023.
- Texas beef cow inventory in 2021 was 4.425 million head.
- Texas ranked #1 in U.S. with 15% of national beef cows in 2021.
- Texas total calves under 500 lbs: 4.3 million in 2021 Jan 1 count.
- Texas operations with beef cows: 131,000 in 2017 Census.
- Texas beef cow inventory peaked at 5.3 million in 2014.
- Texas total cattle and calves: 12.3 million in 2021.
- Texas beef replacement heifers: 500,000 in 2021.
- Texas other beef heifers: 1.9 million in 2021 Jan 1.
- Texas beef steers: 3.3 million on Jan 1, 2021.
- Texas beef bulls: 280,000 in 2021 inventory.
- Texas counties reported 11.8 million total cattle in 2022 estimates.
- Texas beef cows in top 10 counties exceeded 1.5 million in 2022.
- Texas 2020 beef cow inventory: 4.6 million head.
Cattle Numbers and Inventory Interpretation
While Texas remains the undisputed heavyweight champion of the U.S. cattle industry, its current reign shows a slight, deliberate trimming of the herd, focusing on quality over sheer quantity as it manages a complex empire of cattle.
Economic Impact and Value
- Texas economic value from beef: $68 billion total impact including indirect.
- Texas beef industry supports 130,000 jobs with $6.5 billion in labor income.
- Texas beef contributes 4.5% to state GDP at $18.4 billion direct.
- Texas beef farm receipts: $13.7 billion in 2020, 22% of ag receipts.
- Texas beef industry tax contributions: $2.1 billion annually.
- Texas ranch real estate value tied to beef: $150 billion.
- Texas beef export value: $2.3 billion in 2022.
- Texas beef sector induced economic output: $28.6 billion.
- Texas beef producers' average income: $45,000 per operation in 2022.
- Texas beef industry household income impact: $10.2 billion.
- Texas ag GDP from beef: 25% of total livestock sector at $20 billion.
- Texas beef cash receipts grew 12% from 2021 to 2022.
- Texas beef value added: $9.8 billion in processing.
- Texas beef contributes $4.5 billion to rural economies.
- Texas beef farm expenses: $10.1 billion in 2022.
- Texas beef net farm income: $3.6 billion in 2022.
- Texas beef industry supports 475,000 indirect jobs.
- Texas beef export-related economic impact: $5.2 billion.
- Texas beef sector property tax revenue: $1.2 billion.
- Texas beef producers number 128,000 contributing $15B receipts.
- Texas beef industry total output: $68 billion including multipliers.
Economic Impact and Value Interpretation
While it may be the unofficial state condiment, Texas beef's serious business—a $68 billion economic engine that not only feeds the nation but also props up entire communities and keeps the Lone Star State's financial boots firmly on the ground.
Employment, Ranches, and Operations
- Texas beef industry employed 54,000 direct jobs in beef production 2022.
- Texas beef operations total 128,000 farms/ranches specializing in beef.
- Texas average beef ranch size: 650 acres in 2022.
- Texas beef feedlot capacity: 2.5 million head.
- Texas ranch hands employed: 25,000 full-time in beef sector.
- Texas beef processing plants employ 12,000 workers.
- Texas Cow-Calf operations: 110,000 ranches.
- Texas stocker/backgrounder operations: 15,000.
- Texas feedlot operations: 2,500 custom and owned.
- Texas beef sector total employment: 130,000 direct and indirect.
- Texas average beef farm labor costs: $250,000 per operation 2022.
- Texas beef industry veterinary services employ 1,200 professionals.
- Texas ranchers average age: 58 years in 2022 census.
- Texas beef transport and trucking jobs: 8,500.
- Texas beef packing labor force: 20,000 in major plants.
- Texas beef producer organizations membership: 45,000 members.
- Texas beef ranches with irrigation: 12,000 operations.
- Texas beef sector auction market employees: 2,100.
- Texas beef extension service specialists: 150 agents.
- Texas beef industry family farms: 95% of operations.
- Texas large beef operations (>500 head): 1,200 ranches.
- Texas beef hired labor: 40,000 seasonal workers.
Employment, Ranches, and Operations Interpretation
You’ve got a sprawling, seasoned army of 130,000 Texans—from the 58-year-old rancher surveying 650 acres to the auctioneer, the vet, the trucker, and the line worker—all united in the serious business of supplying your steak.
Exports and Markets
- Texas exported 285,000 metric tons of beef in 2022.
- Texas beef exports to Japan valued at $450 million in 2022.
- Texas portion of U.S. beef exports: 25% by volume in 2022.
- Texas beef shipments to South Korea: 120,000 MT in 2022.
- Texas exported beef worth $2.3 billion total in 2022.
- Mexico received 35% of Texas beef exports in 2022, valued at $800M.
- Texas beef to Canada: 50,000 MT annually average 2020-2022.
- Texas share of U.S. beef export value to Asia: 22% in 2022.
- Texas beef exports grew 8% YoY in 2022 to 300,000 MT.
- Taiwan imported $150 million in Texas beef in 2022.
- Texas beef to China/Hong Kong: 40,000 MT in 2022.
- Philippines Texas beef imports: 25,000 MT valued $120M in 2022.
- Texas beef export processing plants: 15 major facilities handling 200K MT.
- EU countries imported 10,000 MT Texas beef under quota in 2022.
- Texas beef to Middle East: 15,000 MT annually.
- Texas top export product: chilled beef boneless 85% lean at 100K MT.
- Texas beef export revenue per head: $1,200 average 2022.
- Vietnam Texas beef imports doubled to 20,000 MT in 2022.
- Texas beef to Australia/New Zealand markets: 5,000 MT.
- Texas share of U.S. beef to Japan: 30% volume 2022.
Exports and Markets Interpretation
Texas isn't just exporting steaks; it's running a global beef syndicate, with a quarter of America's exports flowing from its ranches, making everything from Tokyo's finest restaurants to Mexico City's taco stands deeply indebted to the Lone Star State.
Sources & References
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