# Why are cattle prices surging in the U.S. right now?

> May feeder cattle futures rose $31.45 over three weeks and June live cattle gained $17.38 as U.S. cattle inventories fell to multi-decade lows after drought-driven herd reductions. Imports from Mexico remain suspended due to New World screwworm, further tightening feeder supplies.

- Date: 2026-04-06 · published 2026-04-06T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: disease · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/10267-why-are-cattle-prices-surging-in-the-u-s-right-now
- Commodities: [Feeder Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/FCATTLE.md), [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md)

## Why it matters

Shrinking inventories and blocked Mexican feeder imports limit available cattle and beef output, supporting higher cattle and beef prices.

## Read by commodity

- FCATTLE: bullish ▲
- LCATTLE: bullish ▲

## Linked price moves

| Commodity | Date | Window | Change % | z-score | Why linked |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| LCATTLE | 2026-04-06 | 1 | +2.3% | 3.4 | Multi-decade-low inventories and suspended Mexican imports from screwworm are the structural supply drivers behind the rally. |

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| FCATTLE | 2026-03-27 | [Screwworm Fears are Reshaping the U.S. Cattle Feeding Industry](https://feedsoft.ai/events/20119-screwworm-fears-are-reshaping-the-u-s-cattle-feeding-industry.md) | +2.6% | +1.1% |
| FCATTLE | 2025-05-12 | [Understand the $6.50 Surge in Feeder Cattle Futures - AgWeb](https://feedsoft.ai/events/24819-understand-the-6-50-surge-in-feeder-cattle-futures-agweb.md) | -0.4% | +4.6% |
| FCATTLE | 2026-05-29 | [No relief in sight for high beef prices](https://feedsoft.ai/events/19202-no-relief-in-sight-for-high-beef-prices.md) | +0.1% | +4.8% |
| FCATTLE | 2026-04-06 | [Feeder Cattle Rally Over $30 in Three Weeks in the Face of Tight Supplies](https://feedsoft.ai/events/10272-feeder-cattle-rally-over-30-in-three-weeks-in-the-face-of-tight-supplies.md) | +0.3% | -0.4% |
| FCATTLE | 2024-11-25 | [What Traders, Analysts Are Saying About U.S. Mexico Cattle Trade Issue (NWS) - Pro Farmer](https://feedsoft.ai/events/27351-what-traders-analysts-are-saying-about-u-s-mexico-cattle-trade-issue-nws-pro.md) | +1.0% | +0.9% |
| LCATTLE | 2026-03-27 | [Screwworm Fears are Reshaping the U.S. Cattle Feeding Industry](https://feedsoft.ai/events/20119-screwworm-fears-are-reshaping-the-u-s-cattle-feeding-industry.md) | +2.5% | +5.6% |
| LCATTLE | 2025-05-12 | [Understand the $6.50 Surge in Feeder Cattle Futures - AgWeb](https://feedsoft.ai/events/24819-understand-the-6-50-surge-in-feeder-cattle-futures-agweb.md) | +0.3% | +4.8% |
| LCATTLE | 2019-06-05 | [Will China’s BSE announcement bolster U.S. cattle prices?](https://feedsoft.ai/events/58566-will-china-s-bse-announcement-bolster-u-s-cattle-prices.md) | +0.6% | -4.0% |

## Sources

- agrolatam.com: https://www.agrolatam.com/livestock/feeder-cattle-rally-tight-supply-us-livestock/

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