2025 National feeder and stocker receipts and percentage of heifers

By Josh Maples, Assistant Professor & Extension Economist, Department of Agricultural Economics, Mississippi State University

Tighter cow numbers over the past few years have led to smaller calf crops and fewer cattle to sell. According to data from the USDA-AMS National Feeder and Stocker Cattle Summary, the number of feeder and stocker cattle sold during the first 14 weeks of 2025 totaled 3.72 million head which was 9.5% below the number sold during the same period in 2024. Receipts so far in 2025 are down 9% year-to-date when compared to the 4-year average from 2020-2023.

2018 was the peak in sales for the current cattle cycle as shown in the chart above. The 2024 total was 11% below 2018 and 4% below 2023. It is still early in 2025, but the current trend, and general lower cattle supply, suggest that 2025 sales will be lower again. This dataset includes auction, direct, and video/internet sales reported to USDA.… Continue reading