News

Economist says beef cow slaughter remains a number to watch

Beef cow slaughter for October was down 21 percent compared to last year.  But a livestock economist says there’s more to the story.

University of Missouri Professor Emeritus Scott Brown says that when looking at the beef cow slaughter percentage, it’s important to remember that beef cow inventory at the beginning of the year is also down. “Let’s look at January through October, federally inspected beef cow slaughter as a percentage of that beginning beef cow inventory,” he says. 

He tells Brownfield 2015 is a good year to use as a comparison, because it’s one of the years where there was significant herd expansion. “January through October beef cow slaughter in 2015, relative to beginning inventory, was running just a little more than 6%,” he says.  “So that’s why I say you get below 7% and we’re building.”

As for 2024? “We’re sitting at roughly just a little less than 8 1/2 percent,” he says. “That compares in 2022, where we were up at 11 percent.” He says there are still no significant signs of herd expansion.

“We’re getting closer, but we’re not there yet,” he says. “We still lack a percent or so before we’re going to get there.”