# 75-year-low: National cattle inventory drops to historic level

> USDA data shows the US beef cattle inventory at 86.2 million head, the lowest in about 75 years. The decline reflects prolonged drought and liquidation, and ground beef averaged a record $6.75 per pound.

- Date: 2026-02-17 · published 2026-02-17T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: report · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/20540-75-year-low-national-cattle-inventory-drops-to-historic-level
- Commodities: [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md), [Feeder Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/FCATTLE.md)

## Why it matters

A shrinking herd limits beef supply for years, underpinning high cattle prices even as some liquidation may level off.

## Read by commodity

- FCATTLE: bullish ▲
- LCATTLE: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| LCATTLE | 2026-03-04 | [America's cattle herd drops to a 75-year low](https://feedsoft.ai/events/20118-america-s-cattle-herd-drops-to-a-75-year-low.md) | -0.9% | +0.4% |
| LCATTLE | 2026-01-30 | [U.S. Cattle Inventory at 75 Year Low \| Paradigm Futures](https://feedsoft.ai/events/21190-u-s-cattle-inventory-at-75-year-low-paradigm-futures.md) | +1.0% | +4.8% |
| LCATTLE | 2025-01-31 | [U.S. Beef Cattle Inventory Falls to the Lowest Level in 64 Years - AgWeb](https://feedsoft.ai/events/26447-u-s-beef-cattle-inventory-falls-to-the-lowest-level-in-64-years-agweb.md) | -0.9% | -3.5% |
| LCATTLE | 2026-02-02 | [Cattle in U.S. feedyards drop to 8-year low](https://feedsoft.ai/events/20742-cattle-in-u-s-feedyards-drop-to-8-year-low.md) | +1.4% | +4.3% |
| LCATTLE | 2020-12-22 | [Feedlot inventory near year-ago levels](https://feedsoft.ai/events/49804-feedlot-inventory-near-year-ago-levels.md) | +2.1% | +2.8% |
| FCATTLE | 2026-03-04 | [America's cattle herd drops to a 75-year low](https://feedsoft.ai/events/20118-america-s-cattle-herd-drops-to-a-75-year-low.md) | -1.1% | +3.3% |
| FCATTLE | 2026-01-30 | [U.S. Cattle Inventory at 75 Year Low \| Paradigm Futures](https://feedsoft.ai/events/21190-u-s-cattle-inventory-at-75-year-low-paradigm-futures.md) | -1.4% | -3.7% |
| FCATTLE | 2025-01-31 | [U.S. Beef Cattle Inventory Falls to the Lowest Level in 64 Years - AgWeb](https://feedsoft.ai/events/26447-u-s-beef-cattle-inventory-falls-to-the-lowest-level-in-64-years-agweb.md) | -5.9% | -2.5% |

## Sources

- kcbd.com: https://www.kcbd.com/2026/02/17/75-year-low-national-cattle-inventory-drops-historic-level/

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