The article reports a decrease in the number of cattle in US feedlots with over 1000 head, dropping by 3% to 11.7 million as of January 1, 2023, compared to the same period in 2022. This decline is seen across various indicators, including a 8% drop in new animal entries in December and a 6% decrease in fat cattle sales. The article suggests that these trends could be linked to climatic challenges and an anticipated increase in female retention in the US cattle industry, with a more significant rise expected in 2024.