Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the US for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totalled 10.4 million head on October 1, down 5 percent on-year.

Steers and steer calves, which accounted for 63 percent of total inventory, fell 5 percent from last year to 6.51 million head. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 3.85 million head, down 5 percent on-year.

Feedlot placements in September totalled 2.28 million, down 6 percent from 2007 but up 2 percent from 2006.

Net placements reached 2.23 million head. In September, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 445,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 415,000, 700-799 pounds were 541,000, and 800 pounds and greater were 880,000.