Beef cow, heifer, and steer cattle slaughter in the US

Weekly cattle slaughter began 2023 trending lower than a year ago. Beef cow slaughter, heifer slaughter, and steer slaughter have each begun 2023 with lower slaughter totals than in 2022. Related: Two veterinarians discuss GFI No. 263 The recent decline in beef cow slaughter is perhaps the most interesting given the large cow slaughter totals seen in 2022. Drought and higher input costs relative to calf prices lead to really high beef cow slaughter in 2022 (about 11 percent above 2023). However, beef cow slaughter has moderated to begin 2023 as shown in the chart above. Over the first 10 weeks of 2023, beef cow slaughter totaled 683,700 head which is nearly 9 percent below the first 10 weeks of 2022. Improved drought conditions in many parts of the U.S. and optimism about calf prices are key contributors to fewer cows going to market than a year ago. It is worth noting that beef cow slaughter typically declines seasonally during the first few months of the year. Related: Better ...