Preliminary March 2021 federally inspected slaughter volume was up by 75,000 head from a year ago, totaling 2.95 million head, due to one extra slaughter day relative to March 2020.

The U.S. cattle industry has seen many shifts in the popularity of certain breeds over the decades, from the rise and recession of the Longhorn breed to Herefords and to today's current craze for black-hided cattle, leading to the rise in popularity of breeds like Angus. 

Most of the U.S. beef packing infrastructure was built in the 1980s. Cattle inventories in the decade of the 1980s averaged 108.3 million head, 15% greater than the 92.1 million head average of the past decade. The industry was characterized by excess capacity for many years as cattle inventories declined.

The Biden administration recently announced a new conservation plan with the lofty goal of conserving 30% of the nation’s lands and waters by 2030.

U.S. red meat exports ended the first quarter on a very high note, according to data released by the USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), with March beef and pork exports each posting the highest monthly value on record.

Improved genetics can lead to several improvements in the quality of a beef herd. In a recent online poll, Progressive Cattle asked readers what traits they prioritize when considering new genetics.

An animal rights-focused ballot initiative proposed for 2022 could essentially criminalize animal agriculture practices, including humane slaughter, artificial insemination (A.I.) and castration, creating what the initiative's sponsors term a “sanctuary state for animals.”

The April USDA Cattle on Feed report requires careful interpretation. The typical year-to-year comparisons are mostly meaningless because of the pandemic disruptions affecting markets one year ago.

The severe winter event in mid-February that dipped as far south as Texas disrupted packing plant operations, further-processing facilities and delivery of cattle to plants.