# U.S. Cow Herd Continues to Slowly Shrink - Northern Ag Network

> The USDA semi-annual cattle inventory showed 93.6 million head of cattle on January 1, 2021, slightly below 2020, with beef cows down less than one percent. The article notes that the cow herd has been contracting for two years due to weak profitability.

- Date: 2021-02-01 · published 2021-02-01T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: report · region US · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/48575-u-s-cow-herd-continues-to-slowly-shrink-northern-ag-network
- Commodities: [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md), [Feeder Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/FCATTLE.md)

## Why it matters

A shrinking cow herd points to smaller future calf crops and tighter beef supply, which supports cattle prices in the longer run.

## Read by commodity

- FCATTLE: bullish ▲
- LCATTLE: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| LCATTLE | 2021-03-18 | [Cattle Markets Looking for Spring - Northern Ag Network](https://feedsoft.ai/events/48263-cattle-markets-looking-for-spring-northern-ag-network.md) | +0.1% | +4.6% |
| 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% |
| 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 | 2026-08-06 | [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 | 2025-07-25 | [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% |
| FCATTLE | 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) | +9.9% | +13.2% |
| FCATTLE | 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) | -0.8% | +3.9% |
| 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% |

## Sources

- northernag.net: https://www.northernag.net/u-s-cow-herd-continues-to-slowly-shrink/

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