Cattle on Feed Report: Sharp drop in placements

Marketings also dropped sharply during March.

Cattle on Feed Report
Cattle on Feed Report
(Pro Farmer)

USDA estimated there were 11.821 million head of cattle in large feedlots (1,000-plus head) as of April 1, up 174,000 head (1.5%) from year-ago but 35,000 head less than the average pre-report estimate implied. This marked the seventh consecutive month with a year-over-year increase in feedlot inventories. March placements of cattle into feedlots fell 12.3%, while marketings dropped 13.7%.

Cattle on Feed Report

USDA
(% of year-ago)

Average Estimate

(% of year-ago)

On Feed on April 1

101.5

102.1

Placements in March

87.7

93.0

Marketings in March

86.3

88.1

Placement of 9-weight and heavyweight (1,000-plus lbs.) cattle was unchanged from year-ago, though those two categories accounted for only 13.2% of the total number of cattle moved into feedlots during March. There was a sharp decline in placements in all other categories with lightweights (under 600 lbs.) down 15.4%, 6-weights down 17.5%, 7-weights down 14.8% and 8-weights down 9.9%. Placements were down 20,000 head in Colorado, 60,000 head in Kansas, 30,000 head in Nebraska, 90,000 head in Texas and 46,000 head in “other states.”