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U.S. Cattle on Feed Up 4%

Clint Thompson Alabama, Cattle, Florida, Georgia

beef

The latest cattle on feed report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) notes the number of cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the U.S. for feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.4 million head on Sept. 1, 2020, which is 4% above Sept. 1, 2019. This is the highest Sept. 1 inventory since the series began in 1996. According to a report from Gary Crawford, numbers are generally higher than most industry analysts had expected.

Placements in feedlots during August totaled 2.06 million head, 9% above 2019. Net placements were 2.00 million head. During August, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 405,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 335,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 470,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 522,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 230,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 95,000 head.

Marketing’s of fed cattle during August totaled 1.89 million head, 3% below 2019.