# US cattle herd expansion slowdown | Meat & Livestock Australia

> Meat & Livestock Australia reports that the US cattle herd expansion is slowing rather than liquidating, with drought in key beef regions. Female slaughter reached 46.7% of the total kill on a rolling 52-week basis, and total cow slaughter in the first half rose 7.8% year on year.

- Date: 2018-08-22 · published 2018-08-22T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: weather · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/63471-us-cattle-herd-expansion-slowdown-meat-and-livestock-australia
- Commodities: [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md), [Feeder Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/FCATTLE.md)

## Why it matters

Rising cow slaughter and drought-driven herd decisions point to tighter future beef supply later in the cycle, supporting cattle prices while adding volatility for feeders.

## Read by commodity

- FCATTLE: bullish ▲
- LCATTLE: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| LCATTLE | 2023-03-30 | [U.S. livestock: CME live cattle set contract high as cash prices jump - Grainews](https://feedsoft.ai/events/10373-u-s-livestock-cme-live-cattle-set-contract-high-as-cash-prices-jump-grainews.md) | +2.1% | +7.2% |
| LCATTLE | 2019-01-18 | [Winter and mud mess with cattle markets \| Western Livestock Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/61231-winter-and-mud-mess-with-cattle-markets-western-livestock-journal.md) | -0.6% | +0.1% |
| LCATTLE | 2022-07-15 | [Pete's Comments: Feeder cattle on a roll \| Western Livestock Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/40621-pete-s-comments-feeder-cattle-on-a-roll-western-livestock-journal.md) | -0.7% | +0.7% |
| LCATTLE | 2025-03-17 | [Wheat and Livestock Soar on Monday - AgWeb](https://feedsoft.ai/events/5621-wheat-and-livestock-soar-on-monday-agweb.md) | +2.2% | +2.5% |
| LCATTLE | 2023-08-27 | [Live cattle gain as heat impacts producers - CME
						 \| The Beef Site](https://feedsoft.ai/events/34714-live-cattle-gain-as-heat-impacts-producers-cme-the-beef-site.md) | -0.8% | +1.5% |
| FCATTLE | 2020-11-05 | [Domestic paddock feeder prices at record highs \| Meat & Livestock Australia](https://feedsoft.ai/events/7935-domestic-paddock-feeder-prices-at-record-highs-meat-and-livestock-australia.md) | +2.1% | +1.5% |
| FCATTLE | 2023-03-30 | [U.S. livestock: CME live cattle set contract high as cash prices jump - Grainews](https://feedsoft.ai/events/10373-u-s-livestock-cme-live-cattle-set-contract-high-as-cash-prices-jump-grainews.md) | +3.3% | +5.9% |
| FCATTLE | 2022-07-15 | [Pete's Comments: Feeder cattle on a roll \| Western Livestock Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/40621-pete-s-comments-feeder-cattle-on-a-roll-western-livestock-journal.md) | -0.3% | +0.6% |

## Sources

- mla.com.au: https://www.mla.com.au/prices-markets/market-news/2018/us-cattle-herd-expansion-slowdown/

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