There are some encouraging signs for the beef cattle herd

There is still a long way to go before the cattle herd starts heading in a positive direction but analyst Lance Zimmerman with Rabo AgriFinance says there are several encouraging signs.

“I would imagine because we do have some of that incentive out there to try and rebuild these herds. We’ve had good rain in certain areas. We’ve rebuilt hay supplies in some areas where it was awfully tight through the central plains this past year. We’ll start to see that number bottoming out earlier than the beef cow number, but we still have a ways to go before we see it trending strongly in a positive direction.”

Zimmerman says he expects the next round of calves to be very high quality and will help grow demand moving forward.

Related Stories
Texas A&M economist David Anderson says sharp declines in lamb and mutton production are helping support higher prices.
More than 500 U.S. counties currently face shortages of large animal veterinarians, according to USDA.
The update comes as congressional leaders continue working toward passage of a new Farm Bill.
Limited supplies of lean beef continue driving import demand despite historically strong cattle prices.
Strong cattle values persist as producers weigh the costs and risks associated with herd expansion.
Allendale analysts say lower hog production has yet to generate the typical seasonal price movement.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

The switch makes the chain the only American burger joint to do so
The agreement establishes a new system to monitor water deliveries to Texas and sets limits on how far Mexico can fall behind on its treaty obligations.
Unlike facilities focused on merchant ammonia, Meadowlark would convert its on-site ammonia into UAN and sulfur-containing ATS fertilizers used by regional crop producers.
Agriculture Shows
As the trusted voice of the U.S. cattle and beef industry, the National Cattlemen Beef Association strives to share timely, relevant news. NCBA’s “Cattlemen to Cattlemen” is the leading TV show for beef producers to receive cattle industry news, education, and information.
America’s Heartland brings positive, heartfelt stories about American agriculture to viewers in both urban and rural areas.
Hosted by Pam Minick, “The American Rancher” focuses on the people and places that make ranching an American lifestyle. This half-hour magazine format series features livestock producers and their ranches, animals, and ranching practices.
For the latest information on how to take your operation from good to great, tune into Ag PhD. The program includes a wide range of agronomic information from how to maximize your fertilizer program & tiling to stopping those yield-robbing insects and crop diseases and more.