In the two or three years leading up to 2024, drought conditions led to a beef cattle herd contraction that is still in effect. Overall beef cattle numbers in the country remain historically low, and the rebuilding of the herd could be pushed into 2025 or beyond because of the current market conditions for cattle producers.
In the early portion of 2024, some market analysts and beef industry experts believed that the beef cattle herd could begin to rebuild in the last quarter of 2024. Jacob Burks is a market analyst with AgMarket.net and he tells the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network that cattle producers have not begun the herd rebuilding process quite yet.
He says there are indicators that will help to confirm when the cattle herd rebuilding phase is in effect.
Burks says that producers may begin to retain heifers in 2025, but market conditions will help them make that determination.
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