US Beef Industry Advocates for Slaughtering Wild Horses for Meat

<figure> <img alt="About a dozen horses run as a helicopter — used to corral them — looms over them." src="https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/GettyImages-564003639.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> Helicopters are commonly used to herd wild horses into temporary corrals before they are loaded into trailers and hauled away.  | Rick Loomis/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images </figcaption> </figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">More than 90,000 wild horses and burros inhabit public lands in the Western United States, with the federal government rounding up thousands each year. These animals are typically held in large pens or pastures for extended periods until they are adopted or die, based on the rationale that their population levels exceed the land's capacity.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Some captured horses are sold to Canadian slaughterhouses through a legal loophole, where they are processed for meat, primarily for export to European and Asian markets.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">While it is illegal to slaughter these animals for meat in the US, a recent investigation by the New York Times revealed that legal workarounds allow livestock buyers to purchase wild horses for as little as $25 each and sell them to slaughterhouses for up to $750 each.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">These sales have been ongoing for decades but have increased during President Donald Trump's second term.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Wild horses, also known as mustangs, are considered an American icon and are generally viewed as "not food animals" by most Americans. However, the beef industry has been advocating for more aggressive roundups and even slaughter of these wild horses, an issue that has not received significant public attention.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The Western US is a major cattle ranching area, and ranchers argue that horses compete with their business</strong></h2> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Wild horses in the Western US are descendants of animals introduced by European colonists in the 1500s. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regulates the population of wild horses and burros in specific management regions, removing some animals when population levels exceed designated limits.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">There are millions of privately owned cattle grazing on the same public lands, which are made available to ranchers for a low fee. This creates competition for forage between cattle and wild horses, which can lead to environmental degradation.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Advocates for wild horses argue that the BLM's methods for determining appropriate horse population levels favor cattle ranchers, ensuring sufficient forage for livestock. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and its public lands affiliate advocate for more aggressive management of wild horse populations.</p> <figure class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex"><img alt="" src="https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/GettyImages-867446332.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0,0.51546391752577,100,98.969072164948" title="" /> <img alt="" src="https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/GettyImages-691256680.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0,8.9860814792238,100,82.027837041552" title="" /></figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">These organizations are calling for the legalization of horse slaughter in the US and increased budgets for the BLM and Forest Service to support their wild horse removal efforts. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association did not respond to a request for comment.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">On average, the BLM has captured about 8,800 wild horses and burros annually since the mid-1990s, often using methods such as baiting or helicopter herding. Some animals die during the capture process or later from injuries sustained during roundups.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Currently, approximately 58,000 wild horses and burros are held in captivity, costing taxpayers around $100 million annually for their management.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The number of wild horses sold has been increasing, from 65 in 2013 to over 3,700 in the previous year. It is unclear how many of these animals end up in slaughterhouses, while others are used for various activities like trail riding and ranch work.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">A Bureau of Land Management spokesperson denied allegations of slaughter, stating that the agency does not send wild horses or burros to slaughter and that no loophole exists for selling these animals for that purpose.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>A potential solution: Implementing birth control for wild horses</strong></h2> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Some conservation nonprofits and former BLM employees argue that the agency has favored cattle interests at the expense of wildlife, leading to potential conflicts of interest. A recent example involves a Trump appointee discussing easing grazing limits while owning cattle grazing companies on public land.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Wild horses and burros are not the only species affected by cattle industry pressures; some groups are advocating for restrictions on bison grazing and the removal of protections for gray wolves due to their occasional predation on cattle.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">A promising approach to managing wild horse populations is to reduce their birth rates. Patricia Miller, executive director of the American Wild Horse Conservation, suggests prioritizing birth control as a humane alternative. Cattle groups also support increased birth control measures.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">In 2019, a coalition of cattle industry and animal welfare groups proposed a compromise plan to enhance BLM funding for both wild horse roundups and birth control efforts. Congress subsequently increased the BLM's budget for wild horse management, which has allowed for more fertility control actions, although the agency is not mandated to prioritize this approach.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">A BLM spokesperson confirmed that the agency utilizes fertility control where feasible.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Focusing on fertility control could improve wild horse management and reduce the number of horses held in captivity or sent to slaughter, while also raising broader questions about public land management in the US.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>A version of this story originally appeared in the&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.vox.com/future-perfect"><em><strong>Future Perfect</strong></em></a><em>&nbsp;newsletter.&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.vox.com/pages/future-perfect-newsletter-signup"><em><strong>Sign up here!</strong></em></a></p>