According to USDA’s semiannual cattle inventory report, the U.S. beef cow herd declined to a five year low seasonal level as of Jul ’21. The report showed that as of July 1^st, 2021, the total U.S. beef cow herd stood at 31.4 million head, down 650,000 head, or 2.0%, from the previous year. The YOY decline in the beef cow herd was the largest experienced throughout the past nine years. The U.S. beef cow herd reached a ten year high seasonal level as of Jul ’18, prior to declining throughout the past three years.

Jul ’21 beef heifer replacements of 4.3 million head declined 100,000 head, or 2.3%, from the previous year, reaching a nine year low level. On a heifer replacement per beef cow basis, the Jul ’21 figure of 0.137 remained unchanged from the previous year.