January 25, 2012

As of January 1, Nebraska feedlots contained 2.55 million cattle on feed, 5% up from last year's inventory and the largest January inventory since the data series began in 1994, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service, Nebraska Field Office.

Placements during December totalled 380,000 head, unchanged from 2010. Fed cattle marketing for the month of December totalled 380,000 head, down 5% from last year. Other disappearance during December 2011 totalled 10,000 head, the same as in 2010.

Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the US for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totalled 11.9 million head on January 1, 2012.

The inventory was 3% above January 1, 2011. Placements in feedlots during December totalled 1.68 million, 6% below 2010. Marketing of fed cattle during December totalled 1.80 million, 2% below 2010. Other disappearance totalled 91,000 during December, 40% above 2010.