According to USDA’s semiannual cattle inventory report, the U.S. beef cow herd expanded throughout 2014 for the first time in nine years. The report showed that as of January 1st, 2015, the beef cow herd was 2.1% above a year ago while the number of beef replacement heifers was 4.1% higher than the 2014 figure. The total beef cow herd finished the year at 29.69 million head, up 0.61 million head from the prior year while beef replacement heifers finished the year at 5.78 million head, up 0.23 million head from the prior year. The number of beef replacement heifers increased for the fourth consecutive year and finished the year at an eight year high. On a heifer replacement per beef cow basis, the 2015 figure of 0.195 increased to a 46 year high. Beef replacement heifer growth was most significant in Oklahoma (+80,000 head), Texas (+50,000 head), South Dakota (+40,000 head) and Kansas (+20,000 head).