# Report shows smallest US beef herd in 7 years - Agweek | #1 source for agriculture news, farming, markets

> USDA data show the US beef cow herd fell to 30.1 million head on January 1, down 2% and the lowest since 2015. Drought reduced pasture in the western US and Plains, pushing ranchers to send more cows to slaughter, and labor shortages also limited packing plant throughput.

- Date: 2022-02-01 · published 2022-02-01T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: report · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/42655-report-shows-smallest-us-beef-herd-in-7-years-agweek-1-source-for-agriculture
- Commodities: [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md), [Feeder Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/FCATTLE.md)

## Why it matters

Fewer beef cows and reduced heifer retention mean less future beef and calf supply, supporting cattle prices. Drought-driven liquidation also signals tighter feeder supplies ahead.

## 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 | 2023-06-05 | [Cattle numbers down 3% this year, market prices on the rise - Agweek \| #1 source for agriculture news, farming, markets](https://feedsoft.ai/events/35617-cattle-numbers-down-3-this-year-market-prices-on-the-rise-agweek-1-source-for.md) | +1.7% | +2.7% |
| LCATTLE | 2024-02-05 | [U.S. Cattle Inventory Smallest in 73 years \| Farm Bureau Intel Markets \| American Farm Bureau Federation](https://feedsoft.ai/events/31619-u-s-cattle-inventory-smallest-in-73-years-farm-bureau-intel-markets-american.md) | +1.8% | +4.3% |
| LCATTLE | 2021-10-26 | [New Cattle Feedlot Report Points to Shrinking Beef Cattle Herd - AG INFORMATION NETWORK OF THE WEST](https://feedsoft.ai/events/44700-new-cattle-feedlot-report-points-to-shrinking-beef-cattle-herd-ag-information.md) | +2.3% | +7.3% |
| LCATTLE | 2026-02-02 | [How Bullish is the Cattle Inventory Report for the Cattle Market? - AgWeb](https://feedsoft.ai/events/20729-how-bullish-is-the-cattle-inventory-report-for-the-cattle-market-agweb.md) | +1.4% | +4.3% |
| 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 | 2023-06-05 | [Cattle numbers down 3% this year, market prices on the rise - Agweek \| #1 source for agriculture news, farming, markets](https://feedsoft.ai/events/35617-cattle-numbers-down-3-this-year-market-prices-on-the-rise-agweek-1-source-for.md) | -1.2% | +2.5% |
| FCATTLE | 2024-02-05 | [U.S. Cattle Inventory Smallest in 73 years \| Farm Bureau Intel Markets \| American Farm Bureau Federation](https://feedsoft.ai/events/31619-u-s-cattle-inventory-smallest-in-73-years-farm-bureau-intel-markets-american.md) | +1.0% | +2.8% |

## Sources

- agweek.com: https://www.agweek.com/business/report-shows-smallest-us-beef-herd-in-7-years

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