Why the U.S. cattle herd is at a 75-year low — and what it means for beef prices

Cows stand in a feed barn at Hallstead Farms in Lexington, Ky., in February. Although the U.S. cattle herd size has shrunk in recent decades, U.S. beef production has remained strong, partly because cattle now weigh hundreds of pounds more than they did in the 1950s.

The overall number of U.S. beef and dairy cattle has shrunk to its lowest level since 1951. Drought, rising operating costs and increased consolidation are among the causes.

(Image credit: Luke Sharrett for NPR)

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