# Heavier cattle weights more than offset slower pace of slaughter to raise production | Ag Proud

> USDA's Economic Research Service raised its 2025 beef production forecast by 15 million pounds to 26.7 billion pounds. Heavier carcass weights and an adjusted cow and bull slaughter outlook more than offset fewer steers and heifers processed. Fed slaughter is projected slower in the second and third quarters after weaker first-quarter placements.

- Date: 2025-04-23 · published 2025-04-23T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: report · region US · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/11327-heavier-cattle-weights-more-than-offset-slower-pace-of-slaughter-to-raise
- Commodities: [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md), [Feeder Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/FCATTLE.md)

## Why it matters

A slightly larger beef supply from heavier carcasses partly offsets slower fed slaughter, a modest bearish factor for fed cattle prices, while lower placements keep feeder supplies tight.

## Read by commodity

- FCATTLE: bullish ▲
- LCATTLE: neutral

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| LCATTLE | 2021-04-23 | [Higher cow slaughter and shift in fed cattle slaughter \| Ag Proud](https://feedsoft.ai/events/47537-higher-cow-slaughter-and-shift-in-fed-cattle-slaughter-ag-proud.md) | +0.2% | -1.7% |
| LCATTLE | 2017-08-24 | [Cattle available for slaughter give meatpackers options - Progressive Cattle \| Ag Proud](https://feedsoft.ai/events/69613-cattle-available-for-slaughter-give-meatpackers-options-progressive-cattle-ag.md) | -1.4% | +0.7% |
| LCATTLE | 2019-01-01 | [Cattle Feeders Place More Heifers on Feed](https://feedsoft.ai/events/61233-cattle-feeders-place-more-heifers-on-feed.md) | +0.2% | +1.0% |
| LCATTLE | 2018-03-30 | [Here’s why premiums, regardless of the current cattle cycle, matter](https://feedsoft.ai/events/66135-here-s-why-premiums-regardless-of-the-current-cattle-cycle-matter.md) | -2.6% | +2.8% |
| LCATTLE | 2018-01-24 | [Market Report: Cattle on feed continue to remain large - Progressive Cattle \| Ag Proud](https://feedsoft.ai/events/67092-market-report-cattle-on-feed-continue-to-remain-large-progressive-cattle-ag.md) | +1.5% | +5.0% |
| FCATTLE | 2023-09-27 | [Production slightly lower on slow fed cattle slaughter pace \| Ag Proud](https://feedsoft.ai/events/34246-production-slightly-lower-on-slow-fed-cattle-slaughter-pace-ag-proud.md) | -1.6% | -5.2% |
| FCATTLE | 2023-04-25 | [Beef production raised on higher fed cattle slaughter \| Ag Proud](https://feedsoft.ai/events/6723-beef-production-raised-on-higher-fed-cattle-slaughter-ag-proud.md) | +3.5% | +2.0% |
| FCATTLE | 2019-12-24 | [Beef production raised for 2019 on faster pace of slaughter - Progressive Cattle \| Ag Proud](https://feedsoft.ai/events/55549-beef-production-raised-for-2019-on-faster-pace-of-slaughter-progressive-cattle.md) | +1.3% | -0.5% |

## Sources

- agproud.com: https://www.agproud.com/articles/61412-heavier-cattle-weights-more-than-offset-slower-pace-of-slaughter-to-raise-production

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