The beef cattle herd could expand in 2016.
On Jan. 29, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will release the annual Cattle Inventory Report and the national herd count is expected to see an increase.
Heifer retention looks to increase throughout the next year and into 2017-18. Production of beef may grow 4-5 percent during the New Year, too.
“What that means is prices for your calves will be lower over the next three or four years, simply because there are more cattle being brought to market,” says Greg Henderson, editor of Beef Today.
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Going forward, producers shouldn’t expect to see the record profits that were witnessed in 2014 or even the good profits from 2015, Henderson adds.
“However, it does not look like a complete disaster for cow-calf operations,” Henderson says of increased production.
What are your plans for this year with your cattle herd? Do you plan to hold back more heifers and expand? Let us know in the comments.
