Smallest U.S. July Cattle Herd Since 1973

Smallest Cattle Herd Since 1973

The July Cattle on Feed Report offered little relief to customers paying higher prices for beef. That’s despite the cycle of herd liquidation that seems to be slowly ending. There were 94.2 million cattle and calves in the U.S. as of July 1, the lowest mid-year number of cattle since 1973. The USDA also said the number of animals placed in feedlots for weight gain before being sent to packers plunged to its lowest level since 2017. Bloomberg rep…

Smallest U.S. July cattle herd since 1973

Bloomberg’s Gerson Freitas Jr reported that “the latest US cattle tally offered little relief for consumers paying record beef prices, even as the cycle of herd liquidation seems to be

USDA says US cattle numbers continue to decline - Farm and Dairy

SALEM, Ohio — The U.S. cattle herd is at its lowest summer numbers since 1973, according to a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture report. The USDA Cattle Inventory July report found 94.2 million head of cattle and calves as of July 1, 2025. That’s down 1% from two years ago, and it’s the lowest number since the USDA began releasing the mid-year report 52 years ago. The domestic cattle herd has been shrinking for decades. The January Cattle Inv…

US July Cattle Herd Smallest Since 1973, Says USDA

Black angus cattle on a farm near Waldron in Shelby County, Indiana. Photo: C.J. Miller / Hoosier Ag Today. The U.S. cattle herd in July was at its lowest level since 1973, according to a recent report from USDA. The July Cattle on Feed Report says there were 94.2 million cattle and calves in the U.S. as of July 1. The USDA also said the number of animals placed in feedlots for weight gain before being sent to packers plunged to its lowest level…

U.S. Consumers Not Retreating From Higher Beef Prices

Beef prices in the U.S. have reached historic highs due to shrinking cattle herds.

US cattle tally shows no end in sight for soaring beef prices

The latest US cattle tally offered little relief for consumers paying record beef prices, even as the cycle of herd liquidation seems to be coming to an end.