A New USDA Report Reveals a Dramatic Decrease in Dairy Cow Slaughter Rates, Driven by High Beef Prices and a Smaller National Dairy Herd.
Despite strong beef prices, the culling of dairy cows for beef has continued its year-long decline, as highlighted in the latest USDA report. In July 2025, an estimated 225,800 dairy cull cows were processed through U.S. slaughter plants. While this figure represents an increase from June, it was a decrease of 100 head from the previous July and a significant departure from historical trends. This data point is a critical piece of data journalism for the agribusiness sector.
The report reveals a long-term trend of reduced slaughter rates. For 94 of the last 101 weeks—a period extending from September 2023 to early August 2025—weekly dairy cow slaughter has consistently trailed year-earlier levels. This sustained decrease has resulted in a cumulative decline of nearly 553,400 head over the same period, underscoring a major shift in herd management strategies across the U.S.
This trend is occurring even as the U.S. dairy herd has shrunk and the prices for dairy cow replacements have reached record highs. The July culling rate stands at approximately 2.4% of the herd, which was estimated at 9.485 million cows. On a year-to-date basis (January-July), dairy cull cow slaughter totals about 1,501,200 head, the lowest seven-month total to start a year since 2008.
The regional breakdown of culling shows varying levels of activity. The Upper Midwest, which includes major dairy states like Wisconsin and Minnesota, led the nation in June with 64,500 head culled. This was followed by the Southwest, a region vital to dairy economics, at 40,800 head. Other regions, including the Southern Plains, mid-Atlantic, and the Pacific Northwest, also contributed to the overall national figures.
These culling trends are directly influenced by the lucrative beef market. The USDA’s Ag Prices report for June 2025 showed that the average price for cull cows reached a new all-time high of $150 per cwt, marking a significant increase from both December 2024 and the previous year. This high price point for cull cows, combined with record-high prices for replacements, is creating a complex economic environment that is redefining herd management strategies across the international dairy community.
Source: AgProud, “July report on dairy cows culled for beef”
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