Livestock Marketing Information Center
In The Cattle Markets
Updated: 7/20/2026
Keeping Replacement Heifers: Challenges and Opportunities
To keep or not to keep…that is the question facing many producers today when making the decision about weaned heifers. Many producers may wish they would have kept some heifers back two years ago to have calves to sell today, but record-high prices for feeder heifers are hard to pass on.
Livestock Monitor
Updated: 7/31/2026
MID-YEAR CATTLE INVENTORY
The July Cattle report was released by the USDA-National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). This mid-year inventory report noted all cattle and calves at 94.2 million head, which was a marginal increase of 200,000 head (+0.2%) from the previous year. Looking deeper into the report, total cows were unchanged from the prior year at 38.1 million head and down only 300,000 head from the 38.4 million head reported three years ago. USDA-NASS did not release a July Cattle report in 2024. Of the total cows reported, beef cows were reported down 200,000 head (-0.7%) from a year ago to 28.45 million head, which was offset by a 200,000 head (+2.1%) rise in milk cows to 9.65 million head.
CATTLE ON FEED AND USDA TO REOPEN BORDER WITH MEXICO
Last week, USDA-NASS released its Cattle on Feed. As of July 1, USDA-NASS reported 11.370 million head of cattle on feed, this was an increase of 246,000 head (+2.2%) from the prior year and in line with pre-report expectations. Cattle on feed has been above a year ago for the last three consecutive months, due partly to lower placements and a slower pace to marketings. Marketings in June totaled 1.661 million head, down 46,000 head (-2.7%) from the prior year and close to the -3.0% decline that was expected from analysts’ pre-report estimates. Placements in June were reported at 1.399 million head, a decrease of 42,000 head (-2.9%) from the prior year and lower than the average pre-report estimate which was expecting a -1.2% decline.
CORN PRICES TEST HIGHS FOR YEAR
Omaha corn prices breached the $4.50 per bushel mark last week, rivaling the high of the year that was registered in late April. Prices were up $0.19 per bushel from the prior week and up from $4.08 per bushel in early June. Corn prices in the futures market for December delivery peaked at $4.92 per bushel at the end of last week and settled back $0.20 per bushel this week. Spring quarter corn prices in Omaha averaged $4.35 per bushel and have gradually moved higher since the low quarterly average price last summer of $3.96 per bushel, which was down $0.50 per bushel from the spring of 2025.
