THE US cattle herd has declined more dramatically than expected and is at its lowest level since 1952.
That is according to figures released by the US Department of Agriculture this week.
In what could be a boost for Australian producers, the USDA has pegged the US herd at 90.8 million head, which is a 2.1 per cent fall on last year's January estimate of 92.7 million. Most analysts had forecast a fall of 1.5 to 1.7 per cent, or 500,000 cattle.
Drought in parts of the US - including the cattle-producing state of Texas - were blamed for some of the falls.
The USDA has also reported the 2011 calf crop at 35.3 million head, down 1 per cent from the previous year and the smallest calf crop born since 1950.
The lower cattle production in the US could benefit Australian exports by lessening the amount of beef America has to sell into markets such as Japan and Korea, while also creating a shortfall of grinding beef in its mass hamburger industry.
