US cattle herd dwindles to 75-year low, USDA says

CHICAGO, Jan 30 (Reuters) - The U.S. cattle herd dwindled to its smallest size since 1951, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Friday, signaling that beef prices could go higher for consumers after setting records last year.

The nation had a total of 86.2 million cattle and calves as of January 1, the USDA said in a biannual report, after a persistent drought drove ranchers to slash their herds. That was down 0.4% from a year earlier, when the herd also hit its lowest level since 1951.