April 23, 2007

US Cattle on Feed in April posts second highest monthly inventory

Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totalled 11.6 million head as of April 1, 2007. 

The inventory was 1 percent below April 1, 2006 but 7 percent above April 1, 2005. This is the second highest April 1 inventory since the series began in 1996. The inventory included 7.43 million steers and steer calves, down 4 percent from the previous year.  This group accounted for 64 percent of the total inventory.  Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.14 million head, up 4 percent from 2006.

Placements in feedlots during March totalled 1.97 million, 7 percent above 2006 and 12 percent above 2005.  Net placements were 1.89 million.  During March, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 350,000; 600 to 699 pounds were 375,000; 700-799 pounds were 640,000; and 800 pounds and greater were 600,000.

Aggregate marketings of fed cattle during March posted 1.85 million, down 6 percent from 2006 and 6 percent below 2005.

Other disappearance totalled 72,000 during March, 20 percent below 2006 but 6 percent above 2005.