Most death losses were black coated cattle in open feedlots.

Cool, damp spring weather followed by the recent heat means that grasses are at increased likelihood of becoming infected with ergot bodies.

Grain futures prices traded on the Dalian and Zhengzhou commodity exchanges are expected to maintain at high levels though China has achieved an increase in summer grain output for the eighth year running this year, analysts say.

Mike Meier is a fourth-generation dairy farmer. Instead of feeding the cows all the grain they can handle, Meier uses an intensive grazing process that cuts his production costs dramatically.

Cow numbers in the country are also up 10,000 head over May, reaching an estimated 9.21 million head.