This newsletter is published by Texas AgriLife Extension and edited by Dr. Stephen Hammack, Professor & Extension Beef Cattle Specialist Emeritus. Browse the sections below to learn about recent hot topics in the cattle industry.Where does E. coli come from? According to the TV, Internet, newspapers, magazines and other “usually reliable” sources, E. coli comes from cows.

JANUARY 1 CATTLE NUMBERS The USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service on January 27 reported estimates for numbers of cattle as of January 1. U.S. beef cow numbers were estimated at 29.9 million head, down 3 percent from a year ago. Dairy cows, at 9.2 million, are up 1 percent. Total inventory of all classes is 92.7 million head, lowest since 1952. Biggest declines in beef cows were in Texas (660,000, 13 percent), Oklahoma (288,000 head, 14 percent), and New Mexico (53,000 head, 11 percent). Those three states lost 1,001,000 cows. The remainder of the U.S. gained 34,000 cows.