Cattle on Feed Holding Steady

Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 10.12 million head on July 1.  This was 2 percent above last year but 4 percent below 2002. 

The inventory included 6.37 million steers and steer calves, up 4 percent from last year.  This group accounted for 63 percent of the total inventory.  Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 3.7 million head, down 1 percent from 2003.

June placements in feedlots totaled 1.64 million, 2 percent below 2003.  June placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 460,000, 600-699 pounds were 356,000, 700-799 pounds were 448,000, and 800 pounds-plus were 375,000.

June marketings of fed cattle totaled 2.08 million, 7 percent below 2003 but up slightly from 2002.

Cattle on feed from all feedlots in the United States totaled 11.8 million, down slightly from last year and 6 percent below July 1, 2002.