# Market Insights: The three stories of protein | MEAT+POULTRY

> Sept. 1 US hog inventory was 74.3 million head, down 1.5% year over year, and the breeding herd fell 1%. The national composite whole bird averaged $1.17/lb for the week ending Oct. 9, down 1 cent week over week, and slaughter runs about 1.8% above 2025.

- Date: 2026-10-15 · published 2026-10-15T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: report · region US · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/605-market-insights-the-three-stories-of-protein-meat-poultry
- Commodities: [Lean Hogs](https://feedsoft.ai/c/HOGS.md), [Chicken](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CHICKEN.md)

## Why it matters

Lower hog numbers without higher product values signal weak demand, while flat chicken prices and above-year slaughter point to ample poultry supply.

## Read by commodity

- HOGS: neutral
- CHICKEN: neutral

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| HOGS | 2023-07-28 | [CoBank details pork market challenges \| MEAT+POULTRY](https://feedsoft.ai/events/35178-cobank-details-pork-market-challenges-meat-poultry.md) | -0.4% | -15.6% |
| HOGS | 2018-11-15 | [Rabobank: Animal protein could face trade challenges again in 2019 \| 2018-11-15  \| MEAT+POULTRY](https://feedsoft.ai/events/61976-rabobank-animal-protein-could-face-trade-challenges-again-in-2019-2018-11-15.md) | +0.1% | -4.8% |
| HOGS | 2025-02-24 | [Rabobank: Pork producers stay cautious of herd expansion \| MEAT+POULTRY](https://feedsoft.ai/events/26033-rabobank-pork-producers-stay-cautious-of-herd-expansion-meat-poultry.md) | -2.6% | -1.4% |
| HOGS | 2023-02-02 | [Grain prices, disease, China wild cards in pork market \| Feed Strategy](https://feedsoft.ai/events/37344-grain-prices-disease-china-wild-cards-in-pork-market-feed-strategy.md) | +1.7% | +11.2% |
| HOGS | 2026-01-16 | [eFeedLink - China hog market: Sow inventory stays high, lower piglet output projection in Q1 2026](https://feedsoft.ai/events/21049-efeedlink-china-hog-market-sow-inventory-stays-high-lower-piglet-output.md) | +1.6% | +2.5% |

## Sources

- meatpoultry.com: https://www.meatpoultry.com/articles/34178-market-insights-the-three-stories-of-protein

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