# USDA reports second largest inventory of cattle on feed since 1996

> USDA reported May 1 cattle on feed at 11.7 million head, 4.7 percent above a year earlier and the second-largest May inventory since 1996. Cold storage data showed red meat supplies 17 percent below April 2020, with pork down 26 percent and chicken down 22 percent.

- Date: 2021-05-27 · published 2021-05-27T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: report · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/4968-usda-reports-second-largest-inventory-of-cattle-on-feed-since-1996
- Commodities: [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md), [Feeder Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/FCATTLE.md), [Lean Hogs](https://feedsoft.ai/c/HOGS.md), [Chicken](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CHICKEN.md)

## Why it matters

Large cattle on feed supplies add to near-term fed cattle supply and pressure prices, while shrinking cold storage stocks signal firm meat demand. Lower meat stocks support hog and poultry prices.

## Read by commodity

- HOGS: bullish ▲
- CHICKEN: bullish ▲
- FCATTLE: bearish ▼
- LCATTLE: bearish ▼

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| LCATTLE | 2022-05-25 | [Record Number of Cattle on Feed and Record Low Inventory Outside of Feedlots](https://feedsoft.ai/events/41541-record-number-of-cattle-on-feed-and-record-low-inventory-outside-of-feedlots.md) | -1.3% | +3.1% |
| LCATTLE | 2023-10-24 | [USDA Cattle on Feed Report Hits Cattle Prices Hard](https://feedsoft.ai/events/10309-usda-cattle-on-feed-report-hits-cattle-prices-hard.md) | +1.1% | -3.0% |
| LCATTLE | 2019-12-02 | [Understanding 'Placements' in the Cattle on Feed Report](https://feedsoft.ai/events/55713-understanding-placements-in-the-cattle-on-feed-report.md) | +0.5% | +3.9% |
| LCATTLE | 2019-12-25 | [Cattle on Feed Report Reveals 2% More Cattle on Feed than 2018 - AG INFORMATION NETWORK OF THE WEST](https://feedsoft.ai/events/55710-cattle-on-feed-report-reveals-2-more-cattle-on-feed-than-2018-ag-information.md) | +2.1% | +2.3% |
| LCATTLE | 2021-09-24 | [U.S. livestock: CME hogs rise, live cattle slip ahead of USDA reports - Canadian Cattlemen](https://feedsoft.ai/events/45190-u-s-livestock-cme-hogs-rise-live-cattle-slip-ahead-of-usda-reports-canadian.md) | -1.2% | +0.7% |
| FCATTLE | 2023-10-24 | [USDA Cattle on Feed Report Hits Cattle Prices Hard](https://feedsoft.ai/events/10309-usda-cattle-on-feed-report-hits-cattle-prices-hard.md) | +0.0% | -3.3% |
| FCATTLE | 2021-02-04 | [January Cattle Inventory and Cattle on Feed Reports \| Farm Bureau Intel Markets \| American Farm Bureau Federation](https://feedsoft.ai/events/48571-january-cattle-inventory-and-cattle-on-feed-reports-farm-bureau-intel-markets.md) | +0.7% | -2.5% |
| FCATTLE | 2019-12-02 | [Understanding 'Placements' in the Cattle on Feed Report](https://feedsoft.ai/events/55713-understanding-placements-in-the-cattle-on-feed-report.md) | -0.5% | +2.2% |

## Sources

- wisfarmer.com: https://www.wisfarmer.com/story/opinion/columnists/2021/05/27/usda-reports-second-largest-inventory-cattle-feed-since-1996/7467915002/

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