Too many Texas cattle will lead to lower beef prices

Good news for you at the grocery store is bad news for Texas cattle producers. Beef prices are dropping because the amount of cattle is at an eight-year high.

Dr. David Anderson, a Texas A&M livestock economist, says the last major drought thinned the herd.

"Nationwide we've expanded our cow herd and now we've got as many beef cows as we had before the drought."

Dr. Anderson says we'll see beef prices drop at the grocery store, but some cuts of meat are more valuable than others.

"With all of us loving barbecue that's driven up brisket prices; some of the steak cuts have been relatively high, too because we like to grill those in the summertime."

Dr. Anderson says with less grilling in the winter months, prices will drop for brisket, too.

He says the glut of cattle is getting worse after a recent fire at a Tyson beef facility in Kansas.

"And that plant accounted for something like 5% or 6% of beef production."

Dr. Anderson says the fire shut down that plant and it won't be buying Texas cattle for a while.


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