# Beef costs: Cattle prices soar to record highs as grill season heats up

> Live cattle futures on the CME settled at a record $2.51 per pound on Tuesday, the highest going back to the 1960s. Retail ground beef averaged about $6.70 per pound in March, roughly 12% above a year earlier. The U.S. cattle herd is at its smallest since the 1950s.

- Date: 2026-04-15 · published 2026-04-15T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: market · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/19857-beef-costs-cattle-prices-soar-to-record-highs-as-grill-season-heats-up
- Commodities: [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md), [Feeder Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/FCATTLE.md)

## Why it matters

A shrinking herd and lower slaughter keep beef supply tight into peak grilling season, which supports cattle prices and keeps retail beef costs high.

## Read by commodity

- FCATTLE: bullish ▲
- LCATTLE: bullish ▲

## Sources

- cnbc.com: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/15/beef-cattle-grilling-inflation.html

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.