Cull cows: An overlooked opportunity for beef producers

This topic hits hard, a little close to home, as the cattle I have now are direct daughters of the original cows my grandfather gifted me to start my registered herd. While we always work to improve genetics, confirmation and EPD numbers, sometimes taking the emotion out of the business decision is hard to do.

If you have cattle and are not sure if you have cull cows or are interested in getting the most bang for your buck in your cull animals, be sure to think about joining us at Sugar Valley Meats with details at the end of the column.

Cull cows account for nearly 20% of the total revenue in a typical cow-calf beef operation. Since 2022 prices for lean, high-yielding cull cows have reached historic highs, largely driven by drought-related herd reductions across the Western United States from 2021-22. While cull cows make up a significant portion of the beef supply and are more valuable than ever, recent data shows quality concerns that are costing the industry millions.

The 2022 National Beef Quality Audit revealed a troubling decline in cow condition and carcass quality. One of the most surprising findings was 70.4% of beef cull cows were classified as inadequately muscled — nearly double the rate reported in the 2016 audit. These cows received a muscle score of one or two on a five-point scale. Additionally, nearly 67% of cull cows had a body condition score below five on a nine-point scale.

The audit also documented an increase in carcass bruising, with major bruises requiring between 1 and 10 pounds of product to be trimmed and discarded. From an animal-handling standpoint, concerns were raised when 100% of packing plants surveyed reported buckshot in cow and bull carcasses, and nearly 19% reported finding needles, bullets, darts or wire.

When combined, inadequate muscling, poor body condition, bruising and carcass defects resulted in an estimated $84.30 per head in lost value. With nearly 3.9 million cull animals harvested in 2022, the total economic loss exceeded $326 million nationwide.

Can producers recover some of those losses? In most cases the answer is yes — through timely marketing and selling cows in adequate condition.

According to CattleFax, beef cow slaughter declined by 1.5 million head from 2022-24. At the same time, demand for lean beef has remained strong, pushing cull cow and bull prices to historically high levels. In 2024 utility-grade cows averaged nearly $1,550 per head compared to approximately $1,150 for canner and cutter cows.

Producers can capture additional revenue by understanding seasonal price trends, adding condition to thin cows and marketing animals at the right time. Cull prices are typically lowest from November through early January, improve through late winter and often peak in late summer. Selling cull cows in August or September can increase returns, or if feed resources allow, retaining cows through winter and adding weight can result in a 20-25% price increase by February.

With today’s high prices, cull cows should no longer be viewed as a secondary product. Many packing plants now harvest whole-muscle cuts from cows, making them more than just ground beef. Cull cows can contribute 20% or more of a cow-calf operation’s revenue, and improving their condition and market timing can significantly impact the bottom line. Today they’re more valuable than ever due to limited supply. However, many cull cows are still discounted at market because of poor body condition, inadequate muscling or other defects.

Join us to learn management and marketing strategies to help you improve cow condition, reduce discounts and maximize the value of your herd’s cull animals.

Producers interested in learning more about management and marketing strategies to improve cull cow value are encouraged to attend a free upcoming educational program Jan. 30 at 3 p.m. at Sugar Valley Meats. Registration is required. Attendees should dress to be in the cooler for part of the program.

To register, call 330-674-3015 or email Janessa Hill at hill.1357@osu.edu.

Janessa Hill is an ANR educator with Holmes County OSU Extension.