November 21, 2012

US cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market with capacity of 1,000 or more head totalled 11.3 million head on November 1, down 5% on-year.

On average, analysts expected cattle on feed to be down 5.4%, according to a poll by Dow Jones. Placements in feedlots during October totalled 2.18 million, 13% below 2011. This was the lowest for the month of October since the series began in 1996 and compared to analysts' expectations of a 12.7% drop.

During October, cattle placed weighing less than 600 pounds totalled 680,000. Those 600-699 pounds totalled 505,000. Those 700-799 pounds totalled 435,000, and those 800 pounds and greater totalled 560,000.

Fed cattle marketing during October totalled 1.84 million, 3% above 2011. Analysts were expecting a 2.6% increase. Other disappearance totalled 78,000 during October, down 20% from a year ago.