Recession Slams Cattle Industry as Herds Shrink to 50-Year Low

The beef and dairy industries continued their herd contraction in 2009 as the US cattle herd shrunk to its lowest level since 1958. Between the high price of feed corn and low beef prices, beef producers have decided to cull their herds to stem losses. Those losses on breeding cows were as high as $34 per head, which was almost double the $18-per-head loss the ranchers faced in 2008. Although the herd may be smaller, the actual amount of beef produced is much higher than in 1958 because cows weigh twice as much now as they did 50 years ago...read more