The Cattle Business Weekly
For cattlemen, by cattlemen is this podcast bringing you the latest in cattle industry headlines straight from the news desk of The Cattle Business Weekly in South Dakota. It's a dose of what's happening in markets, on the ranch and in Washington, D.C. It's news about everything that impacts a cattle operation's bottomline (aka profit). Listen to us in the feed truck, on the way to a cattle sale or on the porch with a beer! We promise you won't go away without having learned something.
The Cattle Business Weekly
Herd Shrinks Again, With Drought as a Factor
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The U.S. beef herd again contracted over the past year, according to the USDA Cattle Inventory report released last week, extending the cattle cycle into its thirteenth year. High prices continue to incentivize producers to sell calves rather than retain them for herd rebuilding. All cattle and calves totaled 86.2 million head in January 2026, down 320,000 head or 0.4% from 86.5 million in 2025, in line with analysts’ estimates. This is, for another year, the smallest cattle herd since 1951. South Dakota reported 3.55 million head, up 50,000 head or 1% from last year. Nebraska reported 6.15 million, up...