beef herd

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...

Better genetics are quickly becoming the hero to developing sustainable, efficient cattle herds.  For instance, ten years ago, the American Hereford Association began using an evolved version of conventional EPDs called “Genomic-Enhanced EPDs” to aid in better cattle breeding decisions.  As cattle prod...

According to NASS, the number of cows in Idaho on January 1st increased from 2020’s numbers, while both Washington and Oregon reported drops. Cow/calf numbers in Oregon hit 1.25 million head on January 1st, a drop of 30,000 head from last year, and off from the 1.31 mi ...

The latest USDA Cattle Lot Feed Inventory report shows the first year over year decrease since October 2014.  Numbers on September 1st down slightly, but it was still down 1% at 11 million head.  Feed lot placements in August was down 9% year-over-year, so does this indicate an impending contraction of the herd? “...

What's the latest when it comes to the U.S. Beef Herd?  USDA Livestock Analyst, Shayle Shagum took a look at the recent cattle inventory and monthly catalog feed report.  He said the total number of animals in feed stocks, July first 13.6 million...