The cattle industry remains in a contraction phase, and more cow-calf operators are putting younger animals into feedlots.
USDA economists say there has been no sign things will turn around.
“If folks hold on to those calves, then we’re kind of saying, ‘Hey, we’ll make a turn and we’ll hit the bottom and we’ll start producing more beef at some point in the future.’ So far, there aren’t any signals that say when you hit that point,” says Seth Meyer.
We will get a better idea if the situation is turning around from the monthly Cattle On Feed report.
