Irion County Once Counted Nearly 203,000 Sheep

The 1930 livestock count explains the county in one glance: more than 33,000 cattle, more than 3,700 mohair goats, and almost 203,000 sheep. Crops occupied just 5,000 acres, while ranching sat at the center of the local economy.

The mix changed, but grazing still defines the farm map. The 2022 Census of Agriculture counted 672,190 acres in farms, and 662,936 of those acres were pasture. Livestock, poultry, and their products made up 98 percent of farm sales.

At the end of 2022, the county had 10,143 cattle and calves, 4,192 sheep and lambs, and 3,532 goats. Those are far fewer sheep than in 1930, but the land-use pattern is plain: oil added another layer to Irion County, while pasture still covered almost all of its agricultural ground.