beef cow herd smallest since 1962
The U.S. beef cow herd fell to the lowest level since 1962 as severe drought conditions forced cattlemen in the western United States to cull their herds, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) biannual Cattle Inventory report.

There were 28.9 million beef cows in the U.S. as of Jan. 1, down 3.6% from a year earlier, the USDA said. The 2022 U.S. calf crop was estimated at 34.5 million head, down...