About this episode

Lane Nordlund discusses cattle prices and inventory with market analyst Don Close at CattleCon.

Cattle prices are sky-high, inventories are at historic lows, and drought is creeping back into the conversation across the West. So where does the cattle cycle go from here? Broadcasting from CattleCon in Music City, Lane Nordlund sits down with market analyst Don Close of Terrain to break down the latest USDA Cattle Inventory Report — showing the smallest U.S. cattle herd since 1951 — and what it really means for cow-calf producers. #LaneCast #LaneCastAg #AgPodcast #CattleMarkets #CattlePrices #BeefIndustry #CowCalf #RanchLife #CattleCycle #USDAReport #CattleInventory #HerdExpansion #ReplacementHeifers #BredCows #CalfPrices #AgEconomics #MarketVolatility #DroughtWatch #WesternRanching #AgTalk #CattleCon #TerrainAg

People in this episode

Host: Lane Nordlund

Guest: Don Close

Topics covered

• cattle prices
• drought
• cattle inventory
• cow-calf producers
• market analysis

Keywords

• cattle prices
• USDA Cattle Inventory Report
• drought
• cow-calf producers
• cattle cycle
• historic lows
• market analysis

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: USDA, Terrain

Places: U.S., Music City

More episodes of LaneCast Ag Podcast

• Innovation Never Stops: Inside Helena’s Product Pipeline · April 7, 2026 · 23 min
• Sheep, Strategy & Success: Voices from Industry Leaders · March 23, 2026 · 28 min
• Rebuilding the Cowherd with Health in Mind · March 15, 2026 · 24 min
• Corn & Wheat Market Outlook 2026 · March 1, 2026 · 6 min
• La Niña, Snowpack, and What Comes Next: Meteorologist Brian Bledsoe · December 17, 2025 · 28 min
• Proof in the Premium: Verified Cattle, Real Returns · November 12, 2025 · 46 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the LaneCast Ag Podcast podcast page.