U.S. cattle inventory continues to contract with minimal expansion signs

Dr. Derrell Peel: 2026 Cattle Inventory Report Offers No Major Changes in the Beef Story - Oklahoma Farm Report

The USDA Cattle Inventory report released on Friday, January 30, 2026, revealed that the total U.S. herd remains historically tight, with a total of 86.2 million head of cattle and calves. This is a slight decrease from the 86.5 million head reported on January 1, 2025. Extension Livestock Market Economist Dr. Derrell Peel sees no major surprises from the report

Cattle Herd Still Contracting as Beef Cow Inventory Down One Percent

All cattle and calves in the United States as of Jan. 1, 2026, totaled 86.2 million head, slightly below the 86.5 million head on Jan. 1, 2025, USDA NASS report

US cattle herd dwindles to 75-year low, USDA says

CHICAGO, Jan 30 (Reuters) - The U.S. cattle herd dwindled to its smallest size since 1951, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Friday, signaling that beef prices will stay high for consumers after setting records last year. The nation had 86.2 million cattle and calves as of Jan. 1, the USDA said in a biannual report, after a persistent drought drove ranchers to slash their herds. That was down 0.4% from a year earlier, when the herd also…

Cattle herd expansion still on hold

Cattle and calves in all U.S. feedlots were down 3% Jan. 1 compared to last year.

U.S. cattle inventory continues to contract with minimal expansion signs

The U.S. cattle herd continued to contract over the past year. The USDA says the domestic cattle inventory on January 1st, 2026, was 86.155 million head, a little bit below January 1st, 2025. Only a couple of the major inventory categories saw any kind of growth, and the 2025 calf crop was 2% smaller than […] The post U.S. cattle inventory continues to contract with minimal expansion signs appeared first on Brownfield Ag News.