U.S. Cattle on Feed Higher Than 2018, Placements Lower

(WASHINGTON, DC) Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States totaled 11.7 million head on January 1, 2019. The inventory was two percent above this time last year. The inventory included 7.28 million steers and steer calves, down one percent from 2018 and this group accounted for 62 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.4 million head, a six percent year over year increase. Placements in feedlots during December totaled 1.8 million head, a two percent decline. Net placements were just under 1.7 million head. Marketings of fed cattle during the month of December totaled 1.7 million head, a one percent drop from 2017. Other disappearance totaled 75,000 head during December, a slight increase over one year ago.