USDA released their monthly cattle on feed report this afternoon and it shows cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the U.S. totaled 10.4 million head on July 1, 2013, down 3 percent from July 1, 2012. That included 6.53 million steers and steer calves, down 3 percent from the previous year. This group accounted for 63 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 3.78 million head, down 4 percent from 2012.
Placements in feedlots during June totaled 1.59 million, 5 percent below 2012. Net placements were 1.52 million head. During June, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 315,000, 600-699 pounds were 232,000, 700-799 pounds were 415,000, and 800 pounds and greater were 625,000.
Marketing’s of fed cattle during June totaled 1.90 million, 4 percent below 2012. Marketing’s for the month of June are the lowest since the series began in 1996.