Nass

Nass Livestock

nass_livestock

Read-onlyIdempotent

Get US livestock inventory, slaughter counts, and production data by species, state, and time period. Analyze animal agriculture supply and production.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`year`	No	Year or range (optional)
`state`	No	State name (optional)
`_apiKey`	Yes	NASS API key
`commodity`	Yes	Livestock: "CATTLE", "HOGS", "CHICKENS", "TURKEYS", "SHEEP", "MILK", "EGGS"
`stat_category`	No	Statistic: "INVENTORY", "SLAUGHTER", "PRODUCTION" (default: "INVENTORY")

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`data`	Yes	Livestock inventory and production data
`count`	Yes	Number of records returned
`truncated`	Yes	True if results exceed 200 records

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed1 schema field changedMay 8, 2026

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "properties": {
+    "count": {
+      "description": "Number of records returned",
+      "type": "integer"
+    },
+    "data": {
+      "description": "Livestock inventory and production data",
+      "items": {
+        "properties": {
+          "agg_level": {
+            "description": "Aggregation level",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "commodity": {
+            "description": "Livestock type",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "county": {
+            "description": "County name",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "description": {
+            "description": "Livestock statistic description",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "frequency": {
+            "description": "Frequency",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "period": {
+            "description": "Reference period",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "stat_category": {
+            "description": "Statistic (INVENTORY, SLAUGHTER, PRODUCTION)",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "state": {
+            "description": "State name",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "unit": {
+            "description": "Unit of measurement",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "value": {
+            "description": "Livestock count or production value",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "year": {
+            "description": "Year",
+            "type": [
+              "integer",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          }
+        },
+        "type": "object"
+      },
+      "type": "array"
+    },
+    "truncated": {
+      "description": "True if results exceed 200 records",
+      "type": "boolean"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "count",
+    "data",
+    "truncated"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

Changed1 schema field changedMay 6, 2026

addedInput schema / examples

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "_apiKey": "your-nass-api-key",
+    "commodity": "CATTLE",
+    "stat_category": "INVENTORY",
+    "state": "TEXAS"
+  },
+  {
+    "_apiKey": "your-nass-api-key",
+    "commodity": "HOGS",
+    "stat_category": "SLAUGHTER",
+    "year": "2024"
+  }
+]

First observedApr 22, 2026

TDQS

B3.4/5.0

Behavior3/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, openWorldHint, idempotentHint, and destructiveHint=false, fully covering safety and side effects. The description adds no new behavioral context but does not contradict annotations.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is two sentences, directly states the purpose, and contains no superfluous words. It is well-structured and front-loaded.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the presence of a detailed schema, comprehensive annotations, and an output schema, the description adequately covers the tool's role. It could mention default values or data scope, but the schema already provides defaults.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so baseline is 3. The description does not add additional parameter details beyond what the schema provides.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the tool retrieves US livestock inventory, slaughter, and production data by species, state, and time period. The verb 'Get' and resource 'livestock data' are specific. However, it does not differentiate from sibling tools like nass_crop_production or nass_query, which could also provide related data.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines2/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

No guidance is provided on when to use this tool versus alternatives such as nass_query or nass_prices. The description lacks explicit context for selection among similarly named NASS tools.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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