Developments emerge in cattle industry

Mar 20, 2025

While lower slaughter numbers are not surprising, there are some interesting things happening in the cattle industry.

Will Secor, Extension ag economist with the University of Georgia, says two things are emerging.

“First, the distribution of the cattle being processed is shifting. And second, beef production is a bit higher than last year despite this smaller slaughter figure,” he says in his “In the Cattle Market” column. “Through March 8, the USDA estimated that 5.75 million head of cattle were slaughtered. This is about 3% below the same time frame last year.”

In the column from the Livestock Marketing Information Center, Secor says steers have increased the share of slaughter to around 49.5% of total slaughter (an increase of about 2 percentage points compared to 2024). He says steer slaughter is roughly the same as a year ago, coming in at 2.28 million head.

Additionally, cow slaughter share has dropped by around 2% to 17.6% of total cattle slaughtered.

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Video: FLEECED! Sheep Shearer Hands Over Clippers!

It's sheep shearing day at Ewetopia Farms! ?? Our Dorset lambs and ewes are getting fleeced — and for the first time, our shearer hands over his clippers to a beginner. We finish shearing the last of our adult ewes and this year’s Dorset ewe lambs.

From moving the sheep between barns, loading them into chutes, and watching the wool come off, this is always one of the most satisfying days on the farm. But this video has a twist — we welcomed a new helper, Gian, who’s not only lending a hand but also learning how to shear! With guidance from our experienced shearer, he got a crash course in sheep shearing and even tried his hand at shearing a couple of lambs himself.

You’ll see firsthand how both teacher and student handled this unique challenge. Shearing is more than just removing wool — it’s about sheep health, comfort, and giving us a closer look at the flock. It’s always amazing to see the transformation from woolly sheep to freshly shorn ewes and lambs.