The cattle economy has seen a strong few weeks in the market. Western Livestock Auction, which has been in business for three decades, says they’ve never seen as many cattle as they did last week at the Oklahoma National Stockyards – and yet prices remain strong. This puts producers in a bit of a tricky situation, as they weigh the cost-benefits of holding onto cattle or selling them.
And those green pastures are prevalent across a large portion of the country: the latest USDA crop progress report rated national pastures at 46 percent good-to-excellent.
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Heavier weights and strong late-year slaughter supported December production, but lower annual totals highlight ongoing supply tightness heading into 2026.
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