Beef cow slaughter is 4% less so far this year compared to last, according to analysts with the Livestock Marketing Information Center (LMIC). Dairy cow slaughter, on the other hand, is running about 8% more.

“For the first week of April, U.S. beef cow slaughter was about 12,000 head below 2011’s,” LMIC analysts say. “Beef cow slaughter is forecast to remain below 2011’s for the balance of this year and the year-to-year declines will be large.”