According to the latest inventory report from the USDA released in January, 87 million cattle are being worked by ranchers in the United States.
The number represents a 1.9 percent decrease from last year, and the fifth consecutive year of declining population.
Farmers haven’t seen inventories this low since 1951.
And, according to Hoosier farmers like Dave Fischer, there are a few different reasons for the decline.
“The shortage is really from years of droughts out west,” he said. “And farmers are just scared to repopulate, even now that some of the areas don't have the drought. Most of the drought areas are where some of the largest cow/calf producers are.”
Those drought areas include Texas, Oklahoma, Montana, South Dakota, and other states that are leaders in beef production nationally.
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Categories: Indiana, Livestock, Beef Cattle