The slowdown in dairy cull cow marketing is being driven by a smaller milking herd, limited availability of replacement heifers to maintain full barns and slight improvements in milk income margins.
Based on latest USDA monthly data released Aug. 22, the number of dairy cull cows marketed through U.S. slaughter plants in July 2024 was estimated at 225,900. While up 39,500 from June, it was 18,300 fewer than July 2023 and the lowest July total since 2017.
Through Aug. 3, the USDA Ag Marketing Service estimates indicate the number of dairy cows marketed for beef has now trailed year-ago levels for 48 consecutive weeks, dating back to Sept. 9, 2023, and was down about 360,000 from the same period a year earlier.
July 2023 had 25 non-holiday weekdays and Saturdays, while June 2024 had 26 days. Slaughter averaged 9,400 head per business day this year, up about 200 from a year earlier.
The USDA estimated there were 9.325 million dairy cows in U.S. herds in July 2024, up 5,000 from the revised June estimate and putting the July culling rate at about 2.4% of the herd. Based on the monthly data, year-to-date (January-July) dairy cull cow slaughter now stands at about 1,614,100 head, down 249,000 from the same period a year ago and the lowest seven-month total to start the year since 2010. Despite sky-high prices, the lower pace of culling may lead to increases in August milk production and cow numbers.
Read: Cow numbers, milk production continues to decline in July USDA estimate
Heaviest dairy cow culling during June occurred in the Upper Midwest (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin) at 59,700 head. That was followed in the Southwest (Arizona, California, Hawaii and Nevada) at 51,500 head.
Other monthly regional totals were estimated at 35,200 head in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia; 26,100 head in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington; and 25,700 head in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.
Primary data for the USDA’s Livestock Slaughter report is obtained from reports from about 900 federally inspected plants and nearly 1,850 state-inspected or custom-exempt slaughter plants.
Read also: Prices for U.S. replacement dairy cows reached an all-time high in July, according to latest quarterly estimates from the USDA.
