The January 1, 2024, beef cow herd inventory was 28.22 million head, down 2.5 percent year over year and a decrease of 3.47 million head or 10.9 percent lower, from the cyclical peak in 2019.
While wholesale beef values have declined recently, price movement within boxed beef products reflect the unusual environment in today’s cattle and beef markets.
Beef demand usually slows between the July 4 and Labor Day holidays as both summer grilling and high-end restaurant traffic slows in the heat of the summer.
