beef production

U.S. Cattle On Feed Down 5%

Clint Thompson Cattle

state beef councils
Beef cattle.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released its April Cattle on Feed Report. It shows the number of cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the U.S. for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head was 11.3 million head on April 1, 2020, 5% below April 1, 2019. The inventory included 7.08 million steers and steer calves, down 5% from the previous year. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.22 million head, down 7% from 2019.

Placements in feedlots during March totaled 1.56 million head, 23% below 2019. Placements were the lowest for March since the series began in 1996. And a report from Gary Crawford looks at the reasons for the lower placement numbers.

The April Cattle on Feed Report also noted that marketing’s of fed cattle during March totaled 2.01 million head, which is 13% above 2019. Marketing’s were the second highest for March since the series began in 1996.