On Feed Numbers Up a Bit

USDA’s November cattle on feed report showed the overall on-feed inventory was above a year ago as of Nov. 1, but the year-to-year increase was a bit larger than expected.  Feedlot placements and marketings were both a little larger than anticipated during October.  Based on slaughter data comparisons and the amount of cattle imported from Canada, U.S. feedlots with less than 1,000 head, one-time capacity apparently continued to exit the industry in 2005. 

As of Nov. 1, USDA reported the number of cattle on-feed in feedlots with capacity of 1,000 head or more totaled 11.5 million head, up 1.2 percent from a year ago.  Placements of cattle into feedlots for October were reported at nearly 2.8 million head, up 3.4 percent from 2004’s numbers.  Adjusting for imports of feeder cattle from Canada during October, which must go directly to U.S. feedlots, placements were up a more modest 1.7 percent.  USDA’s feedlot marketing numbers would not include imports of Canadian cattle for slaughter.  U.S. feedlot marketings were reported at 96.7 percent of a year ago.

The most perplexing part of the report was the reported breakdown on weights of cattle placed into U.S. feedlots.  Nationwide, in October the number of head placed into feedlots weighing under 600 pounds was below a year ago, but all other categories posted increases. 

Source:  Livestock Marketing Information Center