This January Florida Cattle Market Update is a snapshot of the “Annual Cattle Market Report: January 2025” that can be found at https://rcrec-ona.ifas.ufl.edu/about/directory/staff/hannah-baker/ under “Annual Report Summaries.” Please visit the website for a more detailed summary of the topics mentioned in this update along with other topics such as cattle on feed, feeder supplies, cattle slaughter, and input prices.
Inventory
Beef cattle numbers in Florida increased by 0.3 percent (~3,000 head) since 2024 totaling at 865,000 head. However, North Dakota also increased their cattle numbers by roughly 10,000 head, resulting in both Kentucky and Florida “dropping in the ranks” to 9th and 10th in beef cattle production. The number of dairy cows has declined by 3 percent to 95,000 head. While the nation’s beef cow herd experienced a low in 2014 and peaked in 2019, Florida’s beef cow herd saw its low in 2016 at 905,000 head and peaked in 2021 at 919,000 head. The Florida beef cow herd has declined by 54,000 head since the last peak and is down 4.4 percent from the last low.
The number of heifers intended for beef cow replacements in Florida was unchanged from 2024 at 115,000 head, unlike last year where we saw a 4 percent decline. Florida’s calf crop increased by 1 percent to 770,000 head. While we don’t see that Florida is strongly headed for expansion, we do see that liquidation may have slowed and stabilization may be on producers’ minds. Continued high prices are certainly an incentive to raise and sell more calves.
| Top 10 States in Beef Cattle Production | ||
| State | Number | % Change from 2024* |
| 1) Texas | 4,075,000 | +1% |
| 2) Oklahoma | 1,950,000 | +1% |
| 3) Missouri | 1,864,000 | +2% |
| 4) Nebraska | 1,597,000 | -3% |
| 5) South Dakota | 1,455,000 | -3% |
| 6) Montana | 1,251,000 | +1% |
| 7) Kansas | 1,230,000 | -0.4% |
| 8) North Dakota | 870,000 | +1% |
| 9) Kentucky | 869,000 | -4% |
| 10) Florida | 865,000 | +0.3% |
Prices
Average prices for 450-495-pound steers in Florida are 16.5 percent higher ($47/cwt) than they were in January of 2024. Prices for weaned heifers in Florida (450-495 lbs) are 17 percent higher ($43/cwt) than they were in January 2024 and have almost doubled since January 2022. The same story is true for replacement cattle and cull cows. Prices for replacement cattle and cull cows have increased by roughly 52 percent and 21 percent year over year. The value of female cattle will continue rising until we start expanding as more producers start retaining rather than selling heifers, which will decrease the supply of calves being sold. Since the number of heifers intended for beef cow replacement remained unchanged from last year in Florida, it will be interesting to see if 2025 will be a year where producers are starting to hold more heifers back or if high prices will incentivize them to keep selling. Forage availability, input costs, and consumer demand will all be factors that affect this decision.
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