US cattle on feed down 6 percent in Feb 1

US cattle and calves on feed totalled 11.3 million head on February 1, 2009, down 6 percent on-year.

Placements in feedlots during January totalled 1.86 million, down 4 percent on-year. Net placements were 1.79 million head. Placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 380,000, 600-699 pounds were 505,000, 700-799 pounds were 553,000, and 800 pounds and higher were 420,000.

Marketings of fed cattle in January totalled 1.74 million, 6-percent below 2008, the lowest for the month of January since the series began in 1996.