# Jan. 1 Cattle Inventory Down 2%

> USDA NASS reported all US cattle and calves on January 1, 2024 totaled 87.2 million head, down 2% from a year earlier. Beef cows fell 2% to 28.2 million head, and the calf crop was down 2%. Cattle on feed for slaughter rose 2% to 14.4 million head.

- Date: 2024-01-01 · published 2024-01-01T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: report · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/31617-jan-1-cattle-inventory-down-2
- Commodities: [Chicken](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CHICKEN.md), [Feeder Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/FCATTLE.md), [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md)

## Why it matters

A shrinking herd and smaller calf crop tighten future beef supplies and support cattle prices. The modest rise in cattle on feed partly offsets the tightness in the near term.

## Read by commodity

- CHICKEN: bullish ▲
- FCATTLE: bullish ▲
- LCATTLE: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| FCATTLE | 2022-01-31 | [Jan. 1 Cattle Inventory Down 2%](https://feedsoft.ai/events/43084-jan-1-cattle-inventory-down-2.md) | +4.1% | -1.2% |
| FCATTLE | 2022-07-23 | [United States cattle inventory down 2 percent \| DRGNews](https://feedsoft.ai/events/40434-united-states-cattle-inventory-down-2-percent-drgnews.md) | -1.6% | -0.0% |
| FCATTLE | 2023-01-31 | [U.S. cattle inventory falls 3%](https://feedsoft.ai/events/37278-u-s-cattle-inventory-falls-3.md) | +2.1% | +3.2% |
| FCATTLE | 2022-03-23 | [U.S. cattle inventory down fractionally - Progressive Cattle \| Ag Proud](https://feedsoft.ai/events/42219-u-s-cattle-inventory-down-fractionally-progressive-cattle-ag-proud.md) | +0.2% | +0.8% |
| FCATTLE | 2023-01-31 | [LIVESTOCK-Live Cattle Down Slightly; Cattle Inventory Shows Steep Decline](https://feedsoft.ai/events/37927-livestock-live-cattle-down-slightly-cattle-inventory-shows-steep-decline.md) | +2.1% | +3.2% |
| LCATTLE | 2022-01-31 | [Jan. 1 Cattle Inventory Down 2%](https://feedsoft.ai/events/43084-jan-1-cattle-inventory-down-2.md) | +1.0% | +2.0% |
| LCATTLE | 2022-07-23 | [United States cattle inventory down 2 percent \| DRGNews](https://feedsoft.ai/events/40434-united-states-cattle-inventory-down-2-percent-drgnews.md) | -0.7% | +2.3% |
| LCATTLE | 2023-01-31 | [U.S. cattle inventory falls 3%](https://feedsoft.ai/events/37278-u-s-cattle-inventory-falls-3.md) | +1.6% | +4.7% |

## Sources

- doi.org: https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.358284
- agweb.com: https://www.agweb.com/markets/market-analysis/cattle-markets-fall-ahead-inventory-report-showing-lowest-herd-1951-hogs-corn-and-soybeans-see-gains
- bloomberg.com: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-31/us-beef-to-remain-expensive-as-herd-shrinks-to-73-year-low
- dtnpf.com: https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/livestock/article/2024/02/05/jan-1-cattle-inventory-2
- dtnpf.com: https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/news/article/2024/01/31/jan-1-cattle-inventory-2

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