Lower beef cow slaughter this year reflects improved forage conditions and higher cattle prices.
July 31, 2024 | James Mitchell, University of Arkansas
USDA reports weekly slaughter statistics for different classes of cattle. Beef cow slaughter this year through 28 weeks totals 1.56 million head. Beef cow slaughter has been historically high in the previous two years. During the same period, beef cow slaughter in 2023 and 2022 totaled 1.86 and 2.10 million head, respectively. So far, beef cow slaughter this year reflects a 16 percent decline compared to 2023. Lower beef cow slaughter this year reflects improved forage conditions and higher cattle prices.
One reason for the large decrease in beef cow slaughter is we started with fewer beef cows this year. Relative to beef cow inventories, the rate of slaughter this year is comparable to last year. Through 28 weeks, beef cow slaughter reflects 5.5 percent and 6.4 percent of beef cow inventories in 2024 and 2023, respectively. Beef cow slaughter is down 294 thousand head, but we started the year with 716 thousand fewer beef cows compared to 2023.
USDA also reports regional cow slaughter data. The first table in this article reports weekly beef cow slaughter through 28 weeks for select regions. There are noticeable differences across regions. In the selected regions, beef cow slaughter ranges from 11 percent lower year over year in Region 4 to 23 percent lower year over year in Region 7. Across the five regions, beef cow slaughter is down 290 thousand head compared to 2023.Across regions, beef cow slaughter compared to beef cow inventories is similar for 2024 and 2023. For example, beef cow slaughter rates in Region 4, which includes most southeastern states, are the same between 2024 and 2023. Beef cow slaughter or cull rates in Region 5 are much lower this year but still reflect 13 percent of beef cow inventories. The 2024 cull rate in Regions 6, 7, and 8 is slightly lower compared to 2023. Regional differences in beef cow slaughter reflect local drought conditions, markets, and relative profitability.
