By Tom Polansek/Reuters
CHICAGO, Jan. 30 (Reuters) – The U.S. cattle herd dwindled to its smallest size since 1951, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Friday, signaling that beef prices will stay high for consumers after setting records last year.
The nation had 86.2 million cattle and calves as of Jan. 1, the USDA said in a biannual report, after a persistent drought drove ranchers to slash their herds. That was down 0.4% from a year earlier, when the herd also hit its lowest level since 1951.
Beef prices will likely stay elevated for another two years because that is how long it would take to raise cattle that are ready to be slaughtered, if ranchers start to rebuild their herds, said Rich Nelson, chief strategist for Allendale.
“There is no sign of serious rebuilding,” he said.(READ FULL STORY HERE)
Used with permission from Successful Farming magazine/Agriculture.com. Copyright Meredith Operations Corporation 2026. All rights reserved.