# The Cattle Supply Crunch Isn't Letting Up - AG INFORMATION NETWORK OF THE WEST

> USDA data show US September feedlot placements fell 12% from a year earlier, the lowest September total on record and a bigger drop than analysts expected. Drought may have pushed producers to sell calves early. Heifer retention remains limited, so the cow herd is not yet rebuilding.

- Date: 2026-11-02 · published 2026-11-02T09:08:06.636Z
- Category: report · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/75221-the-cattle-supply-crunch-isn-t-letting-up-ag-information-network-of-the-west
- Commodities: [Feeder Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/FCATTLE.md), [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md)

## Why it matters

Fewer feeder cattle entering feedlots tightens the supply pipeline for fed cattle and supports feeder and live cattle prices. Limited heifer retention means the tightness is unlikely to ease soon.

## Read by commodity

- FCATTLE: bullish ▲
- LCATTLE: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 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 | 2024-02-14 | [Replacement Heifer and Cattle on Feed Trends Affecting Markets - AG INFORMATION NETWORK OF THE WEST](https://feedsoft.ai/events/31815-replacement-heifer-and-cattle-on-feed-trends-affecting-markets-ag-information.md) | +1.4% | +0.9% |
| 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 | 2022-06-01 | [Cattle Supply and Demand Issues for the 2022 Marketing Year](https://feedsoft.ai/events/41547-cattle-supply-and-demand-issues-for-the-2022-marketing-year.md) | +4.4% | +3.4% |
| FCATTLE | 2019-08-01 | [Turning point in US cattle supply](https://feedsoft.ai/events/58220-turning-point-in-us-cattle-supply.md) | -1.4% | -2.0% |
| 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 | 2024-02-14 | [Replacement Heifer and Cattle on Feed Trends Affecting Markets - AG INFORMATION NETWORK OF THE WEST](https://feedsoft.ai/events/31815-replacement-heifer-and-cattle-on-feed-trends-affecting-markets-ag-information.md) | -0.0% | +2.3% |
| LCATTLE | 2019-03-18 | [Conaway Optimistic and WASDE Milk Forecast - AG INFORMATION NETWORK OF THE WEST](https://feedsoft.ai/events/60253-conaway-optimistic-and-wasde-milk-forecast-ag-information-network-of-the-west.md) | -0.2% | -2.1% |

## Sources

- aginfo.net: https://www.aginfo.net/report/66519/Southeast-Regional-Ag-News/The-Cattle-Supply-Crunch-Isn-t-Letting-Up

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