Cattle Inventory Up Two Percent, All-time Record

(WASHINGTON, DC) Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.5 million head on July 1st. The inventory was two percent above last year. This is the highest July 1 inventory since the series began in 1996. The inventory included seven million steers and steer calves, down two percent from the previous year. This group accounted for 61 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for nearly 4.8 million head, an eight percent year over year increase. Placements in feedlots during June totaled 1.76 million head, a two percent reduction. Net placements were 1.69 million head. During June, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 385,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 295,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 391,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 390,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 185,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 110,000 head. Marketings of fed cattle during June totaled 1.95 million head, three percent below last year. Other disappearance totaled 66,000 head during June, a 14 percent increase from 2018.