NASHVILLE, TN – Cull cow prices are hitting record highs as tight cattle supplies and strong ground beef demand push markets higher. The national dressed price for 85 percent lean cull cows topped $300 per CWT last week for the first time ever. Local Southeast auctions are reporting $160 to $190 per CWT.
USDA data show average U.S. retail ground beef prices reached $6 per pound in June, also a record. Reduced supplies of 85 percent lean trim over the past year have driven prices sharply higher. Much of this lean trim comes from cull cows or imports, which are blended with fattier fed cattle trim for ground beef.
Imports surged earlier this year, led by Brazil, but the U.S. raised tariffs on Brazilian beef to 76 percent last week, likely cutting shipments. That gap may be filled domestically, further boosting cull cow values says Dr. Josh Maples, Mississippi State University Livestock Economst.
Producers now face a choice: cash in on historically high cull prices or hold cows for future calf production. Elevated slaughter could slow herd rebuilding into 2026.