# Three drought years expected to push US cattle inventory to 72-year low | An official publication of Michigan Farm Bureau

> AFBF economist Bernt Nelson said three consecutive La Niña drought years depleted western pastures and feed supplies, forcing heavy herd liquidation. Analysts expected the January cattle report to show a 4% to 6% drop in national inventory.

- Date: 2023-01-10 · published 2023-01-10T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: weather · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/37725-three-drought-years-expected-to-push-us-cattle-inventory-to-72-year-low-an
- Commodities: [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md), [Feeder Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/FCATTLE.md)

## Why it matters

Drought-driven herd liquidation shrinks the breeding herd for years, which supports higher cattle prices and keeps demand for feed firm.

## Read by commodity

- FCATTLE: bullish ▲
- LCATTLE: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| LCATTLE | 2022-11-02 | [Terrain \| Drought-forced Cattle Movement Expected to Impact Markets into 2023](https://feedsoft.ai/events/7228-terrain-drought-forced-cattle-movement-expected-to-impact-markets-into-2023.md) | +0.4% | +1.7% |
| LCATTLE | 2018-02-12 | [Drought relief expected to help grain and cattle outlook - High Plains Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/66423-drought-relief-expected-to-help-grain-and-cattle-outlook-high-plains-journal.md) | +1.5% | -1.0% |
| LCATTLE | 2021-08-18 | [US drought could have implications for beef exports
						 \| The Cattle Site](https://feedsoft.ai/events/45518-us-drought-could-have-implications-for-beef-exports-the-cattle-site.md) | +1.9% | +0.9% |
| LCATTLE | 2022-07-28 | [Fewer cattle expected as cow herds shrink due to drought \| The Western Producer](https://feedsoft.ai/events/40618-fewer-cattle-expected-as-cow-herds-shrink-due-to-drought-the-western-producer.md) | -0.1% | +3.7% |
| LCATTLE | 2021-11-10 | [The Cycle of Drought, Cowherd Liquidation and Higher Feeder Cattle Prices](https://feedsoft.ai/events/44208-the-cycle-of-drought-cowherd-liquidation-and-higher-feeder-cattle-prices.md) | +0.7% | +6.3% |
| FCATTLE | 2018-02-12 | [Drought relief expected to help grain and cattle outlook - High Plains Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/66423-drought-relief-expected-to-help-grain-and-cattle-outlook-high-plains-journal.md) | +2.4% | -2.8% |
| FCATTLE | 2021-08-18 | [US drought could have implications for beef exports
						 \| The Cattle Site](https://feedsoft.ai/events/45518-us-drought-could-have-implications-for-beef-exports-the-cattle-site.md) | +1.3% | -1.2% |
| FCATTLE | 2022-07-28 | [Fewer cattle expected as cow herds shrink due to drought \| The Western Producer](https://feedsoft.ai/events/40618-fewer-cattle-expected-as-cow-herds-shrink-due-to-drought-the-western-producer.md) | +0.1% | +1.2% |

## Sources

- michiganfarmnews.com: https://www.michiganfarmnews.com/three-drought-years-expected-to-push-us-cattle-inventory-to-72-year-low

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