USDA to release its only cattle inventory report of the year today

EDITOR’S NOTE: In March 2025, the USDA announced it would resume the July Cattle Inventory Reports. The next one will be released on July 25, 2025.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s only Cattle Inventory Report will be out later today. The markets are eager to get ahold of this data, which will be the only report of its kind this year.

The big question will be whether the U.S. beef cow herd has seen any growth. Some analysts believe the number will be lower than last year’s January report. Analysts with DTN feel the same. Adding slaughter data for last year also supports a decline.

The USDA decided to stop publishing the July Cattle Inventory Report last year. The Department says the move was necessary due to budget concerns. NCBA calls the move misguided, and Dr. Darrell Peel says it will be a big loss for the industry.

The Cattle Inventory Report will be the only one of the year and will come out at 3:00 PM Eastern.

PDF: JANUARY 2025 CATTLE INVENTORY REPORT

Related Stories
Read the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s official press release published on Monday, December 8, 2025.
$11 billion will go to row-crop farmers immediately, with $1 billion set aside for specialty crops.
While this month’s WASDE report will not include updated figures on U.S. crop size, officials say it will offer a clearer picture of crop conditions in the Southern Hemisphere.
Record yields and exceptionally low BCFM strengthen U.S. corn’s competitive position in global markets.
Water access—not acreage alone—is driving where irrigation expands or contracts.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Pre-filled Applications Available Online to Producers with a Login.gov Account
Kerry Hartwig from Sukup Manufacturing previews the grain management solutions they plan to share with producers at the upcoming Commodity Classic in San Antonio.
Mason McGuire with the San Angelo Stock Show & Rodeo Association recaps this year’s event and looks ahead to the premium sale in April.
FBN co-founder Charles Baron previews the upcoming Farmer2Farmer event and how technology and AI are shaping the industry, offering growers practical insights and farmer-led strategies for modern agriculture.
Farm Bureau Economist Faith Parum discusses the latest Farm Bill proposal and the path ahead for Congress and U.S. agriculture.