Cowherd inventory: Maybe this will be the year to turn the corner

The previous column highlighted some discussion around cowherd expansion (or lack thereof). The discussion included comments from RCALF Region X Director Eric Gropper in a recent Business Insider video. He blamed the decline in cow numbers on the business: “We need to fix the market to put some producer confidence back in this game.”

The column detailed the influence of the business and weather on year-over-year changes in beef cow inventory. The outcome being this summary: “The market isn’t broken; producers are enjoying record high prices. (And thus, it calls into question RCALF’s motive for making such claims.) Expansion isn’t being restrained by a shortage of producer confidence – it’s been limited by drought…Someday, expansion WILL happen; producers will start adding back to the cowherd. But until that happens, don’t blame the business; blame the weather!”

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Nevil Speer

July 2, 2026