Rather a lot has been written about beef cow culling this yr on account of widespread drought within the Western half of the nation and excessive prices relative to calf costs. Most of that has targeted nationally. This text focuses on cow slaughter within the Southern Plains. Federally inspected beef and dairy cow slaughter is reported regionally, with states grouped into roughly geographical areas. Area 6 consists of Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, and New Mexico.
Cow packing crops in area 6 have processed 668,000 beef cows this yr, up 31 % (or 157,000 head) from final yr. They’ve processed 217,000 dairy cows this yr, simply barely under final yr.
Of specific curiosity is a comparability of cow culling this yr to that of 2011 and 2012, over the last main drought in Texas and different components of area 6. To this point, in area 6 this yr, 8,000 extra beef cows have been slaughtered than in 2011. Slaughter this yr is 164,900 head greater than in 2012. The 217,000 dairy cows processed this yr is nicely above the 130,200 head slaughtered in 2011, however near the 213,800 in 2012. It’s value noting that Texas had 200,000 extra dairy cows on January 1, 2022 than on January 1, 2011.
The states in area 6 reported 8.4 million beef cows on January 1, 2022. These states had 8.8 million beef cows on January 1, 2011. Whereas cows could come into the area for slaughter, it’s seemingly {that a} bigger proportion of the herd has been culled this yr than within the final main drought. After all, nationally, beef cow slaughter is up 300,000 head this yr over 2021 and 263,500 over 2011.
Important rainfall in components of Texas over the past couple of weeks could restrain culling within the close to future. The rain has additionally introduced extra average temperatures, offering one other enhance. Watch nationwide and regional beef cow culling over the subsequent 6 weeks to higher gauge the impression of those storms. Seasonally, the most important cow culling weeks of the yr nationally happen in October and November. Rain and earlier heavy culling charges might pull again slaughter and enhance costs.
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