Death Loss in U.S. Cattle and - USDA

1 United States Department of Agriculture Death Loss in Cattle and Animal and Plant Health Calves Due to Predator and Inspection Service Nonpredator Causes, 2015. Veterinary Services National Animal Health Monitoring System December 2017. The Department of Agriculture ( usda ) prohibits dis- Mention of companies or commercial products does not crimination in all its programs and activities on the basis imply recommendation or endorsement by the usda . of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where over others not mentioned. usda neither guarantees nor applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental warrants the standard of any product mentioned. Product status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, names are mentioned solely to report factually on avail- political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an able data and to provide specific information.

2 Individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) usda APHIS VS CEAH NAHMS. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for NRRC Building B, 2E7. communication of program information (Braille, large print, 2150 Centre Avenue audiotape, etc.) Should contact usda 's TARGET Center Fort Collins, CO 80526 8117. at (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to usda , Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence # Avenue, , Washington, 20250 9410, or call Cover photograph courtesy of David Dargatz. (voice) or (TDD). usda is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Items of Note Inventory In 2015, total inventory of adult Cattle (over 500 lb) was 78 million head, and total calf crop was 34 million head.

3 Nearly two-thirds of operations represented in this report were Cattle operations, and nearly two-thirds of Cattle represented in this report resided on Cattle operations. Overall Death loss Almost million Cattle and calves were lost to all causes (nonpredator and predator) in 2015. The estimated cost of Death loss in Cattle and calves in 2015 was $ billion. The percentage of adult- Cattle and calf-crop inventories lost to all causes has been relatively consistent since 2000. In 2015, nonpredator causes accounted for almost 98 percent of all deaths in adult Cattle and almost 89 percent of all deaths in calves. The percentage of calf deaths attributed to predators increased steadily from percent in 1995 to percent in 2015.

4 Predator-related calf deaths on Cattle operations accounted for nearly 16 percent of calf deaths on these types of operations nearly triple the percentage of predator- related deaths on other types of operations. About one-third of Cattle operations had deaths in adult Cattle . About 40 percent of Cattle operations had deaths in calves. Nonpredator Death loss Respiratory problems accounted for the highest percentage of deaths in Cattle due to nonpredators ( percent), followed by unknown causes ( percent) and old age ( percent). Respiratory problems also accounted for the highest percentage of deaths in calves due to nonpredators ( percent), followed by calving-related problems ( percent) and digestive problems ( percent).

5 Predator Death loss In 2015, coyotes accounted for the highest percentage of Cattle deaths due to predators ( percent), followed by unknown predators ( percent) and dogs ( percent). Coyotes also accounted for the highest percentage of calf deaths due to predators ( percent), followed by unknown predator causes ( percent) and vultures ( percent). usda APHIS VS / i Predator control methods and costs From 2000 to 2015, the percentage of operations that used nonlethal methods to control predators increased approximately six-fold: percent in 2000 to percent in 2015. In 2015, the highest percentages of operations that used nonlethal methods to control predators used guard animals ( percent) or fencing ( percent), followed by livestock carcass removal, culling older Cattle to prevent Death loss, and frequent checks in areas or seasons in which predator risk is high.

6 For operations that spent any money on nonlethal or lethal predator control methods, the average amount spent on nonlethal methods was abolut $3,000 and about $300 for lethal methods. The numbers provided in this report are based on a sample of operations and are thus estimates of the true numbers. There is variability associated with each estimate, although the measures of variability (such as the standard error) are not always shown. ii / Cattle Death Loss 2015. Acknowlegments This report was a cooperative effort between two Department of Agriculture ( usda ). agencies: the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

7 We'd like to thank the NASS enumerators who telephoned and visited Cattle operations and collected the data for this report. Their hard work and dedication were invaluable. A. thank you also goes to the personnel at the usda APHIS Veterinary Services' Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health for their efforts in generating and distributing this report. We especially thank the Cattle producers whose voluntary efforts made this study possible. Bruce Wagner Director Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health usda APHIS VS / iii Suggested bibliographic citation for this report: usda . 2015. Cattle and Calves Death Loss in the United States Due to Predator and Nonpredator Causes, 2015.

8 usda APHIS VS CEAH. Fort Collins, CO. # Contacts for further information: Questions or comments on data analysis: Dr. Chuck Fossler (970) 494 7000. Information on reprints or other reports: Ms. Abby Zehr (970) 494 7000. For questions about this report or additional copies, please contact: usda APHIS VS CEAH NAHMS. NRRC Building B, 2E7. 2150 Centre Avenue Fort Collins, CO 80526-8117. 970 494 7000. iv / Cattle Death Loss 2015. Table of Contents Introduction 1. Terms Used in This Report 2. Section I: Inventory 3. A. Demographics 3. 1. Inventory and operations, 1995 2016 3. 2. Operation characteristics, 2015 5. B. State Demographics Inventory and Calf Crop, January 1, 2016 7.

9 Section II: Death Loss Due to Nonpredator and Predator Causes 10. A. Predator and Nonpredator Death Loss 10. 1. Number of Cattle and calves lost, 1995 2015 10. 2. Nonpredator and predator Death loss, 2015 12. B. Value of Cattle and Calves Lost 29. C. Cattle and Calves Death Loss Due to Nonpredator Causes, 2015 33. 1. Death loss in Cattle due to nonpredator causes 33. 2. Death loss in calves due to nonpredator causes 43. D. Cattle and Calves Death Loss Due to Predators, 2015 53. 1. Death loss in Cattle due to predators 53. 2. Death loss in calves due to predators 59. E. Number of Cattle and Calves Injured but not Killed by Predators 67. F. Nonlethal Methods Used to Control Predators 70.

10 Section III: Methodology 77. usda APHIS VS / v Introduction Introduction Each January, usda 's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) collects data on Cattle and calves inventory, calf crop, and total Cattle and calves Death loss. Inventory and calf crop estimates (number of head) are published in January via the NASS Cattle . report. Total State-level Cattle and calves Death losses (number of head) are published in April via the NASS Meat Animals Production, Disposition, and Income report. For NASS' January 1992, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, and 2016 Cattle surveys, usda 's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's National Animal Health Monitoring System provided funding for a detailed, retrospective breakdown of total Cattle and calves Death losses by producer-attributed cause of loss occurring during the previous year.