beef herd

After six years of declines, the U.S. cattle herd just ticked upward — and the reasons behind it say a lot about where the beef industry might be headed.

May's USDA Cattle On Feed report shows total inventory was up 2% from May 2025. However that uptick was fueled, in part, by April’s 6% year-over-year jump.

As summer sizzles to life, meat sales are booming despite rising prices. The numbers might just surprise you as we head into grilling season.

Heifers are down to 37% in the latest cattle report, raising eyebrows among local ranchers. What does this mean for future herds?

With beef demand soaring, dairy operators are getting creative and rethinking how they contribute to the beef market.

Reports indicate the beef cattle herd has reached its lowest point since 1962 marking what some say, appears to be the bottom of the current cattle cycle.

As the U.S. red meat industry gathers in Fort Worth, TX, this week for the U.S. Meat Export Federation Spring Conference, keynote speaker Randy Blach, CEO of CattleFax, said the cattle herd rebuilding may finally be gaining traction.   “We're still in tight fed cattle supplies. We've got...

The recent Cattle on Feed Report was called neutral-to-slightly-positive by American Farm Bureau economist Bernt Nelson.  He said the overall rate of contraction in the U.S. cattle herd has slowed.  However, factors like demand, beef prices, and trade, among other factors, will influence producers’ decisions about what to do with their animals.   “Cash prices for...

For a variety of reasons, whether it was the size of the herd, or beef prices, 2024 was a good year for many cattle producers not only regionally but across the U.S.   “I think that 2024 has been a generally very strong year for beef producers across the board," said Jackie Madill, Executive Director of the Washington state Beef Commission.  "We're seeing...

The latest USDA numbers show the size of the U.S. beef cattle herd continues to shrink.  Last week’s Cattle On Feed report shows placements into feedlots during January were down 4%, feed lot inventories on February 1st came in at 11.7 million, resu...