August 7, 2023
Farmers in Iowa state, US overcome challenges to boost record beef supply amid lowest herds
Despite rearing the lowest number cattle herds since the 1960s, cattle farmers in Iowa state, US have played a pivotal role in meeting the surging demand for beef, contributing to record-high beef supplies in the US, WHO 13 reported.
This comes in the face of rising costs of beef, driven by high demand and the lowest supply of cattle in over 50 years.
The ongoing drought, a result of scarce rainfall, is the central catalyst for the decline in cattle herds. Bob Noble, a cattle farmer in Riceville, Iowa, said that drought is the main driver for the liquidation because if there is no rain, there is no grass, and the cattle cannot be fed in rougher areas like the high plains or western mountains.
Noble, whose family has been raising feeder cattle for generations, is currently managing roughly 1,000 head of feeder cattle.
The US Department of Agriculture's recent release of national herd figures revealed the lowest beef cattle supply since the 1960s. Despite this challenge, Noble finds reassurance in current prices, which closely align with the ten-year average over the past seven decades. He expects prices to ease as cattle numbers experience an upswing. In the interim, both cattle farmers and meat processors are employing resourceful strategies to enhance efficiency despite the limitations.
Noble said that beef production in the US in 2022 set an all-time record high, adding that farmers managed to produce the most ever with a cattle herd almost two-thirds the size of what they had previously, thanks to efficiency and how farmers maintained the quality.
Entering the US beef industry remains a challenge, particularly for young farmers, Noble said. The landscape of tight profit margins and marketing challenges poses significant hurdles for farmers aiming to bring their cattle to market. While the approach of limiting risk offers some security, it can potentially impact overall profitability, he said.
- WHO 13
