Fifty years of progress for beef cattle production in the United States

Authors: Rotz, Clarence; Castano Sanchez, Jose; KNIFFEN, DANIEL - Pennsylvania State University; BUYERS, MATT - Agri Food - Canada; WERTH, SAMANTHA - Consultant

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Sciences
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/16/2026
Publication Date: 7/8/2026
Citation: Rotz, C.A., Castano Sanchez, J.P., Kniffen, D., Buyers, M., Werth, S. 2026. Fifty years of progress for beef cattle production in the United States. Journal of Animal Sciences . 104(1):1-16. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skag169.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skag169

Interpretive Summary: The past fifty years have seen many changes leading to improved productivity and efficiency of beef cattle production in the United States. Integrating and quantifying the impact of all these changes is challenging. By modeling the life cycles of cattle production in 2022 and the early 1970s, improvements were determined for beef production, resources used and other environmental impacts. Compared to 1972, 14% fewer but larger cattle were harvested in 2022 producing 23% more beef. Nearly the same total feed was consumed to produce that beef, but 11% less land was used to produce the feed. These improvements in production have reduced fossil energy use, water use, carbon emissions, and nutrient losses. Continued improvements in cattle production are providing a more sustainable product to meet the growing demand for beef.

Technical Abstract: Many changes in feed production and the maintenance and genetics of cattle have occurred over the past 50 years which affect the efficiency, productivity and environmental impacts of beef cattle production. Trends in feed and animal productivity were determined through regression of historical annual data with time. The Integrated Farm System Model, following life cycle assessment procedures, was used to assess the impact of these changes by modeling representative cattle operations throughout the US in 1972 and 2022. Improvements in yields of feed crops, animal maintenance and genetics, machinery efficiency, and the production of resources such as fuel, electricity, and fertilizer have led to many reductions in the life cycle environmental impacts of beef cattle production. Fewer but larger cattle harvested in 2022 produced 23% more beef carcass weight than in 1972. Nearly the same total feed was consumed to produce beef in 2022 as used in 1972, but about 9% less forage and 43% more grain and other concentrate feeds were fed. Increases in crop yields, particularly corn yields, led to a 12% reduction in cropland and 11% reduction in total land use over the 50-yr period. Other predicted improvements included a 25% reduction in blue water use, 23% reduction in fossil energy use, and 6% reduction in methane emissions. There was little change in total reactive N losses related to beef cattle production with a 34% increase in ammonia emissions offset by decreases in N denitrification, leaching and runoff losses. Considering the increase in animal weight produced, reductions per unit of carcass weight included 21% less feed, 29% less land, 41% less blue water, 39% less fossil energy, 26% less methane, and 19% less reactive N loss. A sensitivity analysis showed that these results were not influenced much by changes in our assumptions on past animal and pasture management. These improvements reflect the continuing trend of the U.S. beef industry to increase productivity and efficiency to produce a more sustainable product that meets the growing demand for beef.