# Cattle numbers down 3% this year, market prices on the rise - Agweek | #1 source for agriculture news, farming, markets

> USDA data show total US cattle and calf inventory down 3% to 89.3 million head as of January 1, 2023, with beef cows down 4% to 28.9 million. Producers report higher sale barn prices, while drought and high feed and input costs have tightened supplies.

- Date: 2023-06-05 · published 2023-06-05T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: report · region US · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/35617-cattle-numbers-down-3-this-year-market-prices-on-the-rise-agweek-1-source-for
- Commodities: [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md), [Feeder Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/FCATTLE.md)

## Why it matters

A shrinking herd limits near-term beef supply and supports cattle prices. High feed costs also squeeze producer margins, which could slow herd rebuilding.

## Read by commodity

- FCATTLE: bullish ▲
- LCATTLE: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| LCATTLE | 2025-07-25 | [USDA reports show continued shrinking of U.S. cattle herd as soaring prices continue - Agweek \| #1 source for agriculture news, farming, markets](https://feedsoft.ai/events/23892-usda-reports-show-continued-shrinking-of-u-s-cattle-herd-as-soaring-prices.md) | +0.8% | +3.7% |
| LCATTLE | 2022-02-01 | [Report shows smallest US beef herd in 7 years - Agweek \| #1 source for agriculture news, farming, markets](https://feedsoft.ai/events/42655-report-shows-smallest-us-beef-herd-in-7-years-agweek-1-source-for-agriculture.md) | +1.8% | +2.6% |
| LCATTLE | 2021-09-14 | [U.S. beef cattle: Numbers down, prices up](https://feedsoft.ai/events/45199-u-s-beef-cattle-numbers-down-prices-up.md) | -0.2% | +0.6% |
| LCATTLE | 2022-06-01 | [Cattle Supply and Demand Issues for the 2022 Marketing Year](https://feedsoft.ai/events/41547-cattle-supply-and-demand-issues-for-the-2022-marketing-year.md) | +0.9% | +4.2% |
| LCATTLE | 2022-05-25 | [Cattle Supply and Demand Issues for the 2022 Marketing Year - Northern Ag Network](https://feedsoft.ai/events/5073-cattle-supply-and-demand-issues-for-the-2022-marketing-year-northern-ag-network.md) | -1.3% | +3.1% |
| FCATTLE | 2025-07-25 | [USDA reports show continued shrinking of U.S. cattle herd as soaring prices continue - Agweek \| #1 source for agriculture news, farming, markets](https://feedsoft.ai/events/23892-usda-reports-show-continued-shrinking-of-u-s-cattle-herd-as-soaring-prices.md) | +0.8% | +8.4% |
| FCATTLE | 2022-02-01 | [Report shows smallest US beef herd in 7 years - Agweek \| #1 source for agriculture news, farming, markets](https://feedsoft.ai/events/42655-report-shows-smallest-us-beef-herd-in-7-years-agweek-1-source-for-agriculture.md) | +1.2% | -4.1% |
| FCATTLE | 2021-09-14 | [U.S. beef cattle: Numbers down, prices up](https://feedsoft.ai/events/45199-u-s-beef-cattle-numbers-down-prices-up.md) | +1.8% | +4.7% |

## Sources

- agweek.com: https://www.agweek.com/business/markets/cattle-numbers-down-3-this-year-market-prices-on-the-rise

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