New Delhi, Nov. 25 -- As America's cattle herd hits historic lows and meat giants tighten their grip, families brace for another year of soaring prices.

HUTCHINSON, Kansas - A fresh jolt hit the already fragile US beef market this week as Tyson Foods confirmed it will close its longtime Kansas beef facility, a move expected to squeeze supplies at a time when the national cattle herd at its lowest in decades has pushed producers, workers, and consumers to the brink. The closure, planned for early next year, comes as the country confronts a structural crisis in cattle production marked by shrinking herds, tight feed supplies, and unprecedented market consolidation among the dominant processors.

The plant's shutdown, one of the last large-...