U.S. Cattle Herd Shrinks To 1951 Lows As Beef Crisis Deepens

Ahead of this afternoon's 3 pm est. USDA release of official US cattle inventory data, estimates compiled by Bloomberg forecast the herd will be at its lowest level in more than seven decades. The ongoing cattle supply crunch continues to push supermarket ground beef prices to record highs.

Bloomberg cited estimates from four analysts that expect the US cattle herd as of Jan. 1 will decline by .7% from one year ago. This would mark the lowest level since 1951 and extend the decline for a sixth straight year.

We have thoroughly documented the cattle crisis resulting in higher ground beef prices at the supermarket:

Cattle Futures Hit New Record High As Polar Blast Set To Hit Nation's Beef Supply
US Cattle Crisis Worsens As Nation's Herd Size Continues Alarming Side Into Abyss
Tyson Foods CEO Unsure When Nation's Collapsing Beef Herd Will Reverse
The average retail price for ground beef at the supermarket, calculated by USDA, recently topped $5.61 per pound. Before Covid, that prices was around $3.81.

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U.S. Cattle Herd Shrinks To 1951 Lows As Beef Crisis Deepens

The nation's cattle herd has plunged to a 74-year low, totaling 86.7 million head.

talkmarkets.com

 

[Tall Timbers]

Hopefully Trump will ensure Federal lands are open to cattle grazing and do anything else that will encourage those raising cattle to raise a little more...

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

There are a LOT more people in the US than there were in 1951, so less available per person per capita, as well as because lower numbers of cows. But possibly offsetting, are there more vegetarians and vegans now? Given the population here, which is significantly hindu, plus bhuddist, new age/occult/satanic, PC/environmentalist/Green, etc., maybe. Maybe more people eating fish and chicken instead of red meat for health reasons? Is the US importing more beef? Even if just from Canada?

Why, exactly, is the herd declining? Are they killing cows because of bird flu, are they dying from something else, are the big, corporate farmers (especially foreign) deliberately keeping production down? Has the percentage of meat vs dairy cattle changed?

Hopefully Trump will ensure Federal lands are open to cattle grazing and do anything else that will encourage those raising cattle to raise a LOT more...

Fixed it for ya

 

[Baby Yoda]

 

[Tall Timbers]

Prime steaks at Sam's here are up over 10% from the last time I looked at them. I settled for choice... which will have to be good enough. It's not good to be spoiled...

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

Prime steaks at Sam's here are up over 10% from the last time I looked at them. I settled for choice... which will have to be good enough. It's not good to be spoiled...

By virtue of living in the US, Canada, Australia, Netherlands, etc., we're ALL spoiled.

 

[Tall Timbers]

By virtue of living in the US, Canada, Australia, Netherlands, etc., we're ALL spoiled.

White males in USA haven't been spoiled from the time affirmative action kicked in.

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

White males in USA haven't been spoiled from the time affirmative action kicked in.

I'm thinking of all the great food, medical care, generally enough generally clean water, usually-reliable and sufficient utilities, transportation, not having the government disappearing people, not having dead and dying people dumped in the streets, alleys, and lakes as usual and ordinary disposal, and most importantly, getting to attend the houses of worship of our choice and possess Bibles, hymnals, etc. without fear.

The vast majority of people in this world have never had it as good as the poorest in the U.S. do.

 

[Tall Timbers]

I'm thinking of all the great food, medical care, generally enough generally clean water, usually-reliable and sufficient utilities, transportation, not having the government disappearing people, not having dead and dying people dumped in the streets, alleys, and lakes as usual and ordinary disposal, and most importantly, getting to attend the houses of worship of our choice and possess Bibles, hymnals, etc. without fear.

The vast majority of people in this world have never had it as good as the poorest in the U.S. do.

Most don't, but having those things doesn't equal being spoiled, not by my way of thinking.

 

[1LoverofGod]

Just looking at today's new grocery store Ads.
One local Grocery Store has it's Rib Eye Steak "on Sale"
At $14.00 per pound.
Insane!

 

[Tall Timbers]

Just looking at today's new grocery store Ads.
One local Grocery Store has it's Rib Eye Steak "on Sale"
At $14.00 per pound.
Insane!

In the last couple of days I've seen rib-eye steaks as high as $26. It's sad. Hamburger costs what a good steak used to cost and then up to a couple times what a good steak used to cost. I hope our beef cattle herds can recover.