Beef herd expansion slows due to drought conditions

Expansion of America’s cowherd shows signs of stalling. Total beef cows in the U.S. were 2 percent higher on Jan. 1, 2018, at 31.7 million, representing the largest number since 2008. Breeding cattle inventories, however, signal a decrease in the rate of expansion, while drought in the southern and central Plains could shift the cycle into reverse. The USDA–National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Cattle Inventory report counted 94.3 million cattle and calves Jan. 1, an increase of less than 1 percent compared to a year ago. –Drovers CattleNetwork Read more…