The US cattle herd is at it's lowest size since 1951

[lucas80]

Down 2 percent from last year, and 5 straight years of decline. The calf crop is at its lowest since 1948. Prices for beef will remain stable for now, but are expected to rise in the Fall. Feed usage is up for now, but expected to fall, affecting farmers who count on supplying cattle with feed.
Not linking, the Iowa Farm Bureau Spokesman doesn't make that easy. Their article does not give reasons as to why farmers are not holding herd size stable, or increasing herd size. I believe 6 months or so ago when the last US herd report was released prolonged drought was blamed as the principle reason for the declines.

 

[Funky Bunch]

 

[CarolinaHawkeye]

It's much easier for farmer's to grow corn and soybeans and sit back and collect their government checks.

 

[Mayland]

Live cattle prices are at all time highs. There’s 870 acres of pasture touching some of our family land. My brother thinks it will go for $3000+/acre.

 

[denmar81]

Live cattle prices are at all time highs. There’s 870 acres of pasture touching some of our family land. My brother thinks it will go for $3000+/acre.

Better than the 12,000 an acre in east central Iowa. Retiring farmers are multi millionaires.

 

[InsaneHawkJJP]

American farmers are falling for that woke green agenda! Less cows means less cows farting and that’s good for the environment. Yeah farmers!!!

 

[DooBi]

Better than the 12,000 an acre in east central Iowa. Farmers are multi millionaires.

FIFY. Do you know any poor farmers anymore? They're all rich.

 

[HawkMachine]

It's much easier for farmer's to grow corn and soybeans and sit back and collect their government checks.

I love people that talk about things they know NOTHING about.

 

[Jerome Silberman]

At least in America, the majority of beef is eaten by the older generations. I would expect the largest producers and processors to continue to dwindle supply to keep the price up as long as possible. Every sector along the production chain is going to try to squeeze as much blood from the turnip as they can before their largest customer demographic stops buying.

 

[Mayland]

Better than the 12,000 an acre in east central Iowa. Retiring farmers are multi millionaires.

For pasture? This is native prairie; not tillable.

 

[alaskanseminole]

Going to make my steak prices go up!

 

[jonesy5960]

FIFY. Do you know any poor farmers anymore? They're all rich.

America Needs Rich Farmers.

 

[jonesy5960]

Going to make my steak prices go up!

Good. Eat fish and chicken instead.

 

[alaskanseminole]

Good. Eat fish and chicken instead.

Not a fish fan, but I eat a ton of chicken and pork too.

 

[Underscore2]

ANC

 

[Bro D]

Less farts! Win for AOC!

 

[JRHawk2003]

It's a highly inefficient way to get food. Good.

Eat less meat.

 

[ihhawk]

FIFY. Do you know any poor farmers anymore? They're all rich.

With corn prices where they are, cash supplies will decrease quickly. Also, the interest rates on operation loans is in the 7s. Something is going to bust in the Ag industry

 

[DooBi]

With corn prices where they are, cash supplies will decrease quickly. Also, the interest rates on operation loans is in the 7s. Something is going to bust in the Ag industry

Nothing that the government won't bail out.

 

[TennNole17]

John Dutton would fix this

 

[Jerome Silberman]

Nothing that the government won't bail out.

And with good reason. We all need to eat

 

[hawkjt]

They project breakeven price points for corn and soybean farmers to be at 5$ and 12$ respectively.
Current cash prices are at 4.20 and 11.30 and sinking fast.
It is a boom and bust business...the 3 year boom is over..brace for the bust.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

Better than the 12,000 an acre in east central Iowa. Retiring farmers are multi millionaires.

Can we get some of our tax dollars back?

 

[ClarindaA's]

It's a highly inefficient way to get food. Good.

Eat less meat.

Not true, they convert grass to protein

 

[ClarindaA's]

Didn’t a bunch of cattle mysteriously die in Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas?

 

[The Tradition]

Florida is a major breeding state for cattle. The calves are shipped to the midwest to be fattened up for slaughter.

As always, blame Florida.

 

[stickman80]

They project breakeven price points for corn and soybean farmers to be at 5$ and 12$ respectively.
Current cash prices are at 4.20 and 11.30 and sinking fast.
It is a boom and bust business...the 3 year boom is over..brace for the bust.

Pics of busts?

 

[Mayland]

It's a highly inefficient way to get food. Good.

Eat less meat.

But it’s not an inefficient way to get essential amino acids.

 

[lucas80]

Live cattle prices are at all time highs. There’s 870 acres of pasture touching some of our family land. My brother thinks it will go for $3000+/acre.

This doesn't appear to be a cyclical decline, do you have thoughts on this trend?

 

[lucas80]

I guess we can ask @soybean
But, I think you guys ran him off.

 

[biggreydogs]

It's much easier for farmer's to grow corn and soybeans and sit back and collect their government checks.

Blowing of a national security threat. DFL no longer exists for farmers

 

[Mayland]

This doesn't appear to be a cyclical decline, do you have thoughts on this trend?

I have no idea. Farmers have an old saying. High prices take care of high prices. Meaning when prices are high, farmers generally produce more, leading to increased supply and lower prices.
Beef cattle is a little different game though. Stocking rates are generally very stable on pasture and range; unlike crops which see natural variability due to environmental conditions. I would expect with high cattle prices and low corn prices we might see a slight uptick in production, but I honestly don’t know where that increase in production would come from.

 

[InsaneHawkJJP]

Not true, they convert grass to protein

How much grass and water does that take? Plant protein is much more efficient.

 

[ClarindaA's]

How much grass and water does that take? Plant protein is much more efficient.

It’s incomplete protein

 

[InsaneHawkJJP]

It’s incomplete protein

Ever heard of quinoa? 🙄

 

[ClarindaA's]

Ever heard of quinoa? 🙄

How much quinoa do you need to get 200 grams of complete protein a day? I’ve used hemp, pea, whey, etc. Meat is just the easiest, and often times, cheapest per gram of protein.

 

[The Tradition]

Ever heard of quinoa? 🙄

How does a medium-rare quinoa fresh off the grill taste?

 

[bunsen82]

Lots of culled cattle, high prices on pound cattle in the fall, with high feed and drought conditions a lot sold off. I’ll tell you this much, I’m not worried about my cattle farmers for next 3 years, I am about my high leveraged row croppers.

 

[Colonoscopy]

Some of them are now playing basketball and wearing makeup

 

[InsaneHawkJJP]