Drop in Heifer Share Doesn’t Mean Expansion

An article on BEEF Magazine

USDA-AMS reports the National Feeder and Stocker Cattle Summary each week, which includes weekly receipt data. Feeder and stocker receipts in this data series averaged 250,858 head during the first 24 weeks of 2026, which is up slightly from the 250,129 head averaged during this same period in 2025. This data series does not include all cattle sold and isn’t a comprehensive view of the feeder cattle market. For context, this series included 12.8 million head during 2025, and the 2025 U.S. calf crop was estimated at 32.9 million head. However, the trends over time are useful in understanding market dynamics.

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