The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released their May Cattle on Feed Report, and the new numbers show 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 totaled 11.7 million head on May 1, 2021. The inventory was 5 percent above May 1, 2020 and is the second highest May 1 inventory since the series began in 1996. But according to a story from Gary Crawford, there’s some deceptively high numbers in the new report concerning April cattle feedlot activity.
Placements in feedlots during April totaled 1.82 million head, 27 percent above 2020. Net placements were 1.77 million head. During April, placements
of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 380,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 250,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 420,000 head,
800-899 pounds were 481,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 220,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 70,000 head.
Marketing’s of fed cattle during April totaled 1.94 million head, 33 percent above 2020.
To see more numbers from the report click here.