#42 Jan 22, 26

State of the Cattle Market: CattleFax CEO Randy Blach on Supply, Slaughter & Market Direction

CattleFax CEO Randy Blach joins We Live It from the shared CattleFax and NCBA headquarters in Denver for a straight-talk conversation on the U.S. cattle market.

Hosts Ty deCordova and Casey Mabry sit down with one of the most trusted voices in cattle market analysis to break down what’s really driving today’s prices and where the industry may be headed next.

In this episode, Randy digs into:

Why cattle prices remain historically strong
How tight cattle supply is shaping the market
What changes in slaughter capacity mean for producers
Where we are in the cattle cycle and what comes next
How demand is holding up across the beef complex
What cow-calf producers should be watching right now

With decades of experience advising ranchers, feeders, packers, and policymakers, Randy brings clarity to a market often clouded by noise. This is a fundamentals-first conversation focused on supply, demand, and disciplined decision-making.

If you’re a rancher, feeder, or cattleman trying to understand the forces shaping today’s cattle market, this episode delivers context you can use.

0:00 Why cattle prices are historically strong right now
2:10 How today’s demand is holding together
5:30 What the market is already pricing into 2025–2026
8:40 The real story behind tight cattle supply
11:15 Why supply matters more than headlines
14:00 Where we are in the cattle cycle
14:40 Slaughter capacity and why it’s a bottleneck
16:15 Heifer retention, cow numbers, and herd rebuilding
20:30 What these fundamentals mean for cow-calf producers
25:10 Market volatility vs. long-term fundamentals
30:00 What Randy is watching most closely right now
36:00 Demand risk, supply discipline, and market balance
39:30 Reading the road ahead for cattle prices

Episode Video

Creators and Guests

Host

Ty deCordova

Ty DeCordova is a seasoned professional with more than 25 years of experience in cattle marketing. He spent 20 years at Superior Livestock Auction, including his final years managing the Country Page as well as the block during video auctions. This allowed Ty to develop a deep understanding of the cattle industry's operations and build relationships with cattle buyers on a national level. Ty now oversees all operational aspects of the business, ensuring efficiency and excellence across all areas. Ty comes from a family with a long-standing history in the cattle industry. Growing up in Groesbeck, Texas, he and his brother started their own cattle business during their teenage years, purchasing and selling loads of steers. By the age of 17, Ty was actively involved in buying cattle at sale barns for his father, gaining hands-on experience. This early exposure to the sale-barn environment shaped his lifelong passion and expertise in cattle marketing. Ty continues to run cattle today and is committed to serving the agriculture industry.

Guest

Casey Mabry

Casey comes to Blue Reef following over a decade-long career with Cargill. Casey’s career in the industry started as a cattle buyer in Western Nebraska and Wyoming for six years. Casey then moved to Wichita, KS where he worked in boxed beef pricing with a focus on understanding out front prices and position optimization. Casey then took to cattle procurement as a Strategic Supply Manager where he focused on cattle formula and grid marketing arrangements working with Cargill’s largest suppliers. Casey’s experience in cash and value based marketing of cattle can be a valuable asset to your operation. He has a Bachelor’s Degree from Texas Tech University where he served on the Meats Judging team, and a Masters from Tarleton State University where he coached the Meats Judging team. Casey resides in Brock, TX with his wife Deidrea and daughters Reyse, Avery, and Brooklyn.

Producer

Katy Holdener

Katy Holdener's journey in agricultural communications began on her family's row crop farm in California's Central Valley, where she developed a deep appreciation for the industry. After earning a degree in Agricultural Communications and Economics from Oklahoma State University, Katy has been fortunate to work with respected organizations such as the American Hereford Association, American Angus Association, Superior Livestock Auction and BioZyme, Inc. These experiences have provided her with valuable insights into seedstock and commercial livestock marketing. Katy strives to create effective marketing strategies that support the company and its consignors.