U.S. cattle herd reaches lowest level since 1951

The total number of beef and dairy cattle in the United States stood at 86.2 million head on January 1, the lowest figure recorded since 1951, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. Domestic beef production has stayed steady even as herd size has fallen because individual animals have grown larger over time.

Rising costs and fewer operators Farmers and ranchers report higher expenses for fuel, equipment, fertilizer, and livestock purchases. Operators who borrow money face increased interest costs when financing cattle or infrastructure. The number of cattle operations dropped from 882,692 in 2017 to 732,123 in 2022, a decline of roughly 17 percent.

The median age of U.S. farmers reached 58 in 2023, the highest among any workforce tracked by the U.S. Senate Committee on Aging.

Import restrictions and supply effects In May 2025, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins halted imports of live cattle, horses, and bison from Mexico. Mexico supplied about 62 percent of U.S. cattle imports between 2020 and 2024. The restriction has increased demand for domestic calves, according to Texas A&M University professor Jason Cleere.

Industry concentration and trade policy Four companies have handled more than 80 percent of U.S. cattle processing since 1995, USDA data show. In November, President Trump directed the Justice Department to investigate JBS, Cargill, Tyson Foods, and National Beef for potential collusion and price manipulation.

In February, President Trump announced an increase in beef imports from Argentina at a lower tariff, following an earlier increase in October. The USDA also moved to expand grazing on federal lands and to limit the "Product of USA" label to cattle born, raised, and slaughtered in the United States.