State of the Beef Industry

Rabobank expects the Jan. 1, 2026, beef cow inventory to be 28 million head — up 200,000 head from the prior year. A second increase of less than 500,000 head is likely over the following year.

The 2025 State of the Beef Industry Report summarizes optimism prevails yet challenges persist in today’s beef industry.

Beef-on-dairy is arguably the most significant advancement for the U.S. beef industry in a generation, and no current review of the State of the Beef Industry would be complete without examining its impact.