Despite high beef prices, a smaller dairy herd and higher demand and prices for dairy cow replacements have now impacted cull cow slaughter rates for over a full year.
Based on latest USDA monthly data released March 20, the number of dairy cull cows marketed through U.S. slaughter plants in February 2025 was estimated at 217,000. While down 30,800 from January, it was 4,900 fewer than February 2024 and the lowest February total since 2008.
February 2024 had 25 non-holiday weekdays and Saturdays while February 2025 had 24 days. Slaughter averaged 9,000 head per business day this year, 1,100 lower from a year earlier.
Weekly slaughter in 2025 continues to follow long-term trends. Through the week ending March 1, weekly dairy cow slaughter has trailed year-earlier levels in eight of nine weeks. Since September 2023 and through the week ending March 1, weekly dairy cow slaughter has now trailed year-earlier levels for 76 of 78 weeks, with a total decline of about 482,00 head over that period.
The USDA estimated there were 9.405 million dairy cows in U.S. herds in February 2025, up 15,000 head from the January estimate and putting the February culling rate at about 2.3% of the herd. Based on the monthly data, year-to-date (January-February) dairy cull cow slaughter now stands at about 464,800 head, down 38,100 from the same period a year ago and the lowest two-month total to start the year since 2010.
Read: Milk production lower, cow numbers higher in February
Heaviest dairy cow culling during February occurred in the Upper Midwest (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin) at 53,100 head. That was followed in the Southwest (Arizona, California, Hawaii and Nevada) at 45,000 head.
Other monthly regional totals were estimated at 33,100 head in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia; 29,300 head in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas; and 29,000 head in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
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: Replacement cow prices reach new high in 2025, according to latest quarterly estimates from the USDA.
