July 27, 2004

U.S. Cattle On Feed Up 2 Percent

Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 10.12 million head on July 1, 2004. The inventory was 2 percent above July 1, 2003 but 4 percent below July 1, 2002. The inventory included 6.37 million steers and steer calves, up 4 percent from the previous year. This group accounted for 63 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 3.70 million head, down 1 percent from 2003.

Placements in feedlots during June totaled 1.64 million, 2 percent below 2003 and down slightly from 2002. Net placements were 1.57 million. During June, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 460,000, 600-699 pounds were 356,000, 700-799 pounds were 448,000, and 800 pounds and greater were 375,000.

Marketings of fed cattle during June totaled 2.08 million, 7 percent below 2003 but up slightly from 2002.

Meanwhile, all cattle and calves in the United States as of July 1, 2004, totaled 103.6 million head, down slightly from the 103.9 million on July 1, 2003 and 1 percent below the 105.1 million two years ago.

All cows and heifers that have calved, at 42.5 million, were slightly below the 42.7 million on July 1, 2003 and 1 percent below the 42.9 million two years ago.

Beef cows, at 33.5 million, were down slightly from July 1, 2003 and 1 percent below two years ago.

Milk cows, at 9.0 million, were down 1 percent from July 1, 2003 and down 2 percent from two years ago.