Livestock Marketing Information Center
In The Cattle Markets
Updated: 6/22/2026
Latest Look from Cattle on Feed, USDA APHIS NW Screwworm Dashboard, and Meat Demand Monitor’s Financial Sentiment Pulse – No Dull Days in June
Hopefully, this finds readers following a blessed Father’s Day. As 2026 proceeds, there is no shortage of issues to monitor in the broader beef-cattle complex. There are three updates on the broader beef-cattle complex worth noting here.
Livestock Monitor
Updated: 6/19/2026
JUNE CATTLE ON FEED REPORT
The June Cattle on Feed report was released last week by the USDA-National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Cattle on feed as of June 1st was reported at 11.7 million head, up 239,000 head (+2.1%) from last year. On average, analysts were expecting cattle on feed to increase +2.5% from last year with a range of up +1.7% to +3.8%. This marks the third consecutive month that cattle on feed have been above a year ago. Cattle on feed over 150 days was at 3.5 million head as of June 1st, which was an increase of more than 340,000 head (+11%) from last year. As a result, dressed weights continue to track above year-ago levels.
RANGE AND PASTURE CONDITIONS
Over the last six weeks, range and pasture conditions rated as poor and very poor across the U.S. have been trending down from the mid-40% area to the mid-30% area. A year ago, during May and June, range and pasture conditions were below 35% rated as poor and very poor, indicating drier conditions compared to a year ago. In the Southeast region, range and pasture conditions started the year with more than 36% rated as poor and very poor condition. Conditions have improved with 26% of range and pasture rated as poor and very poor. At this time last year, less than 10% of range and pasture were rated as poor and very poor in the Southeast region.
SHEEP AND LAMB MARKET UPDATE
The sheep and lamb market has seen strong prices with the lamb cutout value, slaughter lamb, and feeder lamb prices rising since the start of the year and well above year-ago levels. The lamb cutout value has risen about $0.86 per cwt (+16%) since the start of the year to $628 per cwt last week. Compared to a year ago, last week’s price was up $170 per cwt (+37%) and prices have not been this high since October 2021 when they were over $635 per cwt. Slaughter lamb prices have also moved higher since the start of the year from about $220 per cwt to last week’s price of $288 per cwt, an increase of $68 per cwt (+31%). Last week’s slaughter lamb price was more than $116 per cwt (+68%) above the same week last year.
