Cattle markets: Reflecting on the bigger picture

After a couple of wild weeks in cattle markets, let’s take a step back to review the bigger picture. The supply side remains tight, with limited opportunities to expand in the short run. Cull cows from the dairy sector may offset some of the reduction beef cull cows on tighter dairy margins. However, this offset is partial.

Additionally, dressed weight increases may be topping out. In September, year-over-year increases in cattle dressed weights ranged from 1.5-2.1 percent. In contrast, dressed weights in January saw year-over-year increases of around 3.2-5.3 percent.

Lastly, changes in beef imports are limited and likely more complementary to existing beef supplies, as imports are often lean beef being blended for ground beef.

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The Ohio State University

November 5, 2025