Despite high beef prices, a smaller dairy herd and higher demand and prices for dairy cow replacements have now impacted cull cow slaughter rates for over a full year.
Based on latest USDA monthly data released June 18, the number of dairy cull cows marketed through U.S. slaughter plants in May 2025 was estimated at 196,700. While down 10,500 from April, it was 19,300 fewer than May 2024 and the lowest May total since 2008.
May 2024 had 26 nonholiday weekdays and Saturdays while May 2025 also had 26 days. Slaughter averaged 7,600 head per business day this year, 700 lower from a year earlier.
Weekly slaughter in 2025 continues to follow long-term trends. Through the week ending June 7, weekly dairy cow slaughter has trailed year-earlier levels in 22 of 23 weeks. Since September 2023 and through the week ending June 7, weekly dairy cow slaughter has now trailed year-earlier levels for 90 of 92 weeks, with a total decline of nearly 547,500 head over that period.
The USDA estimated there were 9.445 million dairy cows in U.S. herds in May 2025, up 5,000 head from the April estimate and putting the May culling rate at about 2.1% of the herd. Based on the monthly data, year-to-date (January-May) dairy cull cow slaughter now stands at about 1,086,600 head, down 1,005,100 from the same period a year ago and the lowest five-month total to start the year since 2008.
Read: Third consecutive rise in milk production, cow numbers, output per cow in May
Heaviest dairy cow culling during May occurred in the Upper Midwest (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin) at 52,300 head. That was followed in the Southwest (Arizona, California, Hawaii and Nevada) at 39,500 head.
Other monthly regional totals were estimated at 29,700 head in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia; 25,300 head in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas; and 26,900 head in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
Primary data for the USDA’s Livestock Slaughter report is obtained from reports from about 900 federally inspected plants and nearly 1,850 state-inspected or custom-exempt slaughter plants.
Read also: Replacement cow prices keep rising in 2025, according to latest quarterly estimates from the USDA.
