Cattle Health recent news | Beef Magazine (2024)

FAQs

What is the biggest problem in the beef industry? ›

There are three big environmental issues with the production of meat - feed sourcing, manure processing, and climate change. Raising meat takes vast quantities of feed. Millions of acres have been plowed over for large, monoculture crop fields dedicated to feeding livestock.

Among the states, Texas stands as the undisputed leader, boasting a staggering 4.115 million head of beef cows. This remarkable figure accounts for nearly 15 percent of all beef cows in the United States.

Beef cattle are cattle raised for meat production (as distinguished from dairy cattle, used for milk production). The meat of mature or almost mature cattle is mostly known as beef.

The beef cattle herd in the U.S. is expected to drop again in 2024. However, a low in cattle inventory is not expected until the latter half of 2024, or more likely in 2025. While margins have improved in 2023, profits have not reached levels that incentivize significant herd rebuilding efforts.

From watering the animals to irrigating the crops, the meat industry contributes to excessive water usage, depleting precious water resources. Moreover, the runoff from factory farms, laden with antibiotics, hormones, and other pollutants, finds its way into water sources, polluting rivers, lakes, and groundwater.

Total U.S. cattle and calf inventory dropped to its lowest level since 1951. Agricultural economists say persistent drought over the last three years, along with high input costs and inflation are putting pressure on both consumers and farmers.

Texas, the state with the most cattle in the United States, boasts an impressive population of 4,475,000 cows.

King Ranch is the largest ranch in the United States. At some 825,000 acres (3,340 km²; 1,289 sq mi) it is larger than both the land area of Rhode Island and the area of the European country Luxembourg. It is mainly a cattle ranch, but also produced the racehorse Assault, who won the Triple Crown in 1946.

Ranking of States with the Most Cattle: Texas Leads the Herd

As we delve into the rankings of states with the most cattle, it's evident that Texas takes the lead, followed by Nebraska, Kansas, California, and Oklahoma. These states collectively play a pivotal role in shaping the nation's cattle industry.

What breed of cattle is most profitable? Angus: This is the most popular breed of beef cattle. Their meat quality is excellent and they provide 50 percent of their weight in the meat. Highland Cattle: Though they are not as popular as they once were, they are still in demand by people who know love their meat.

What is a female cow called? ›

Mature female cattle are called cows and mature male cattle are bulls. Young female cattle are called heifers, young male cattle are oxen or bullocks, and castrated male cattle are known as steers. Cattle.

To feed the nationwide demand for beef as well as exports, as many as 36 million cattle are slaughtered in the U.S. each year.

During his second expedition in 1493, Columbus brought the first cattle to the Caribbean, where they were used as farm animals and a source of food. These new transplants did so well that feral livestock became a nuisance on the Island of Hispaniola.

The United States has imported the most beef so far in 2021 from Canada followed by Mexico and New Zealand. The United States has imported beef from 16 different countries so far in 2021. U.S. beef imports from Canada are up 8% so far in 2021. U.S. beef imports from Australia are down 54% so far in 2021.

Right now, one of the major challenges comes from price signals, which aren't making their way down the supply chain to the producer. Some packers, especially US packers, are having trouble with plant breakdowns or labor issues, which cause additional weight on the cattle market.

ACTIVIST PROBLEMS

The beef industry now faces outside groups which make it more difficult to operate. These groups are involved with animal rights, food safety, anti-red meat, chemical residues, environment and a myriad of other concerns.

Cowley's research concludes that as it comes out of the pandemic, U.S. cattle production faces three key pressures that may affect profitability in the future: vulnerabilities along the supply chain; extreme weather conditions, particularly drought; and shifting demand from U.S. consumers.