The Cattle Supply Crunch Isn't Letting Up
A new analysis from the University of Florida suggests the nation's feeder cattle supply is getting even tighter.
UF livestock economist Hannah Baker took a closer look at recently released USDA numbers showing September feedlot placements dropped 12 percent from a year ago. That's the lowest September total on record, and a bigger drop than analysts expected.
Now, part of that could be explained by what happened earlier in the year.
Baker says drought may have pushed some producers to sell calves earlier than usual, leaving fewer to market this fall.
But there's also the question of when we'll start seeing the nation's cow herd rebuild.
As of October first, heifers still accounted for nearly 38 percent of cattle on feed. That's down from 40 percent in 2023, but it doesn't suggest producers are keeping back many replacement females just yet.
And while fewer cattle are entering feedlots, fewer are leaving, too, which is helping maintain inventories.
For Southeast beef producers, it's another indication that cattle supplies aren't likely to rebound anytime soon.
