It’s the Ranch It Up Radio Show Herd It Here Weekly Report!  A 3-minute look at cattle markets, reports, news info, or anything that has to do with those of us who live at the end of dirt roads.  Join Jeff 'Tigger' Erhardt, the Boss Lady Rebecca Wanner aka 'BEC' by subscribing on your favorite podcasting app or on the Ranch It Up Radio Show YouTube Channel.

Cattle producers, consumers, and policymakers are all asking the same questions: How high will cattle prices go, when will they peak, and what happens next? The reality is that the cattle cycle remains uncertain, with no clear sign yet of a bottom in herd inventories or a timeline for rebuilding.

Through the first three quarters of 2025, there’s been no strong evidence of heifer retention. The mid-year Cattle Report showed the lowest beef replacement heifer inventory on record, and the 2025 U.S. calf crop is projected to be the smallest since 1941. Feeder cattle supplies outside of feedlots are also at historic lows.

While beef cow slaughter is down roughly 40% since 2022, stabilizing the herd, limited replacement heifers — down about 27% from the 2017 peak — mean herd growth in 2026–2027 will be slow.

Experts project cattle prices to keep climbing into 2026 and possibly beyond, with a gradual peak and sustained strength through the decade. A sharp drop appears unlikely, but the pace of herd rebuilding and heifer retention will determine how the market unfolds.

Bottom line: The U.S. beef industry is on a slow rebuild, and cattle prices are expected to remain historically high for years to come.

REFERENCES: 

https://meatingplace.com/the-slow-cattle-cycle-timeline-peel/

Lot’s of bull and heifer sales coming up on the RanchChannel.Com sale calendar.  Check out the full line up HERE.

American Gelbvieh Association

https://gelbvieh.org/

@AmericanGelbvieh

Axiota Animal Health

https://axiota.com/

@AxiotaAnimalHealth

Jorgensen Land & Cattle

https://jorgensenfarms.com/

@JorLandCat

Ranch Channel

https://ranchchannel.com/

@RanchChannel

Call or Text your questions, or comments to 707-RANCH20 or 707-726-2420

Or email [email protected]

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AND how is that? Because of Tigger & BEC... Live This Western Lifestyle.

Tigger & BEC represent the Working Ranch world by providing the cowboys, cowgirls, beef cattle producers & successful farmers the knowledge and education needed to bring high-quality beef & meat to your table for dinner.

Learn more about Jeff 'Tigger' Erhardt & Rebecca Wanner aka BEC here: TiggerandBEC.com

https://tiggerandbec.com/