The beef industry has been waiting years for the herd to rebuild, and researchers at CattleFax say it is happening, but note it is taking a lot longer than originally thought.
Despite the higher prices, they say consumers are still buying up all they can.
“It does look like when we look back, January of 2025 will be the low in the beef cow herd. So, as I look at the numbers out here, I think it’s important that people recognize that our per capita beef supplies are pretty flat. They haven’t changed much. This price increase that we’re experiencing in the industry is demand-driven. Beef demand is at a 37-year high, and I think when people think about demand, obviously, quality has been the key to that. We’ve seen the quality of the animals being produced has increased substantially,” said CattleFax CEO Randy Blach.
Researchers at RaboBank have also been tracking the numbers. They say that hot consumer demand is likely here to stay.
“And I’m here to tell you, as we look at early 2025, all indications are that demand is going to continue to set new near-term record highs, looking like the best demand we’ve seen since 1986 at the moment. And a lot of that’s due to the fact that even though the consumer pricing is going up, and even though the consumer’s increasingly stressed, buying beef at retail is still a relatively cheap lifestyle upgrade that the consumer can make,” said Lance Zimmerman.
The latest Cattle On Feed report shows inventories are down two percent compared to last year at this time. Only two states saw an increase: Kansas herds grew by three percent, and Oklahoma herds grew by two percent.
Dr. Kelly Bruns from the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture discusses how the college prepares students for careers in agriculture.
February 10, 2026 02:27 PM
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RFD NEWS Correspondent Frank McCaffrey was in Mission, Texas, where state and federal officials addressed growers and producers at a round table event hosted at a citrus grower’s facility. He shows us how welcome news was all around.
February 10, 2026 12:05 PM
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Nationwide highlights expanded insurance options for cattle operations and their company initiatives to promote grain bin safety and support women in agriculture.
February 09, 2026 02:58 PM
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Tyler Schuster is an ag industry advocate who mentors and supports the next generation, especially women finding their place in the cattle industry.
February 09, 2026 12:35 PM
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NCBA Chief Counsel Mary-Thomas Hart breaks down CAFO permits, EPA enforcement, and what cattle producers need to know as rules continue to evolve.
February 09, 2026 12:21 PM
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Low prices are painful now, but production response could support stronger milk markets later in 2026.
February 09, 2026 10:25 AM
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Merck’s Gary Tiller discusses new virtual fencing technology and how fence-free livestock management could change the way ranchers manage land and cattle.
February 06, 2026 05:03 PM
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At CattleCon 2026 in Nashville, RealAg Radio’s Shaun Haney discusses profitability, consumer demand, and how the integrated U.S.–Canada beef supply chain impacts cattle producers across North America.
February 06, 2026 04:59 PM
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Top issues facing the beef industry took center stage at CattleCon this year in Nashville.
February 06, 2026 04:58 PM
