# Cattle herd shrinks, prices go higher - High Plains Journal

> The USDA January cattle report showed the US herd at 86.6 million head, down more than 495,000 head year over year and the smallest since 1951. The rate of decline slowed to under 1% this year, compared with about 2% in 2024 and more than 3% in 2023. Analysts say the herd may not have bottomed yet.

- Date: 2025-03-14 · published 2025-03-14T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: report · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/25522-cattle-herd-shrinks-prices-go-higher-high-plains-journal
- Commodities: [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md), [Feeder Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/FCATTLE.md)

## Why it matters

A herd at a multi-decade low, with a slower decline rate, keeps cattle supplies tight and supports high cattle and beef prices. Rebuilding takes years, so the supply constraint is likely to persist.

## Read by commodity

- FCATTLE: bullish ▲
- LCATTLE: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| LCATTLE | 2022-08-09 | [Shrinking U.S. cattle herd signals more pain from high beef prices](https://feedsoft.ai/events/39969-shrinking-u-s-cattle-herd-signals-more-pain-from-high-beef-prices.md) | +1.8% | +3.0% |
| LCATTLE | 2025-04-24 | [Fischer: Prices For Cattle Remain High](https://feedsoft.ai/events/25264-fischer-prices-for-cattle-remain-high.md) | +1.8% | +3.8% |
| LCATTLE | 2025-05-23 | [Import restrictions will weigh on cattle markets - High Plains Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/24820-import-restrictions-will-weigh-on-cattle-markets-high-plains-journal.md) | +0.1% | +4.5% |
| LCATTLE | 2026-08-06 | [Beef prices surge as herd shrinks to 1951 low](https://feedsoft.ai/events/4741-beef-prices-surge-as-herd-shrinks-to-1951-low.md) | -0.3% | -8.1% |
| LCATTLE | 2025-05-22 | [USDA: 2025 Fed Cattle Prices Seen Higher - Zia Commodities, LLC](https://feedsoft.ai/events/24802-usda-2025-fed-cattle-prices-seen-higher-zia-commodities-llc.md) | +0.1% | +5.1% |
| FCATTLE | 2022-08-09 | [Shrinking U.S. cattle herd signals more pain from high beef prices](https://feedsoft.ai/events/39969-shrinking-u-s-cattle-herd-signals-more-pain-from-high-beef-prices.md) | -0.7% | +1.6% |
| FCATTLE | 2025-04-24 | [Fischer: Prices For Cattle Remain High](https://feedsoft.ai/events/25264-fischer-prices-for-cattle-remain-high.md) | +1.5% | +2.8% |
| FCATTLE | 2025-05-23 | [Import restrictions will weigh on cattle markets - High Plains Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/24820-import-restrictions-will-weigh-on-cattle-markets-high-plains-journal.md) | +1.2% | +2.5% |

## Sources

- hpj.com: https://hpj.com/2025/03/14/cattle-herd-shrinks-prices-go-higher/

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