How US herd decline affects prices in Australia

摘要

Drought, the financial crisis and better returns from cropping have converged to have a strong influence on the US cattle herd and therefore beef production. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimated the US cattle herd had fallen to90.8 million head as of January 1 2012, which is 2.1% lower than a year earlier, 6% below the most recent peak in 2006 and the lowest January inventory since 1952.