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Cattle industry continues to look for signs of herd expansion

The market news manager for the Missouri Department of Agriculture says he’s not seeing any major signs of herd expansion to the cattle herd. Tony Hancock says high cattle prices are good for the cattle industry, but a challenge at the same time.  “It’s really hard for them to hold on to any heifers when they’re bringing the prices they are bringing,” he says.  “That doesn’t encourage much retention and certainly not much expansion.”

But, he tells Brownfield he continues to track the percentage of steers and heifers sold in Missouri each week. “This week we’re at about a 60/40 split,” he says.  “We’ve seen that in a couple of recent weeks.  So that 60/40 would have me maybe thinking we’re at least maintaining.”

Hancock says while it there may not be widespread herd expansion, this is a starting point.

Friday’s Cattle on Feed report from the USDA will also include a look at the percentage of the herd that is heifers and heifer calves.

AUDIO: Tony Hancock, Missouri Department of Ag