By Josh Maples, Mississippi State University
Fall is the time of year when beef cow culling peaks as producers decide which cows to carry or not to carry through the winter months. The beef cow slaughter data can be used as an indicator of the level of cow culling. The backdrop of beef cow slaughter numbers this year is that we started 2023 with an estimated 3.6% fewer beef cows than we started with in 2022. Therefore, all else equal, 2023 beef cow slaughter numbers were expected to be lower than 2022.
Nationwide, beef cow slaughter has been 11% lower so far in 2023 than it was in 2022….
