Culling Continues, Springer Heifers Remain Steady
Holstein springing heifer values have held together in the past month despite a noteworthy contraction of the national dairy herd. June 2023 saw heavy cow-slaughter rates, with 255,700 head of cows sent to the packer. That degree of culling has not been seen in June since 2009. In the week of July 22, another 61,242 dairy cows were culled for beef, which was a late-July slaughter total unmatched since the days of the dairy buyout program in 1986. But springer prices were steady to slightly higher in all but one reported market. At the Pipestone, Minn. Livestock Auction Market, where heifer prices have been extraordinarily strong the past few years, prices faltered a bit in the past month. Meanwhile, Holstein heifer calf trade was down in both volume and price.
