October 24, 2012

Nebraska feedlots, with capacities of 1,000 or more head, contained 2.33 million cattle on feed on October 1, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Nebraska Field Office. This inventory was up 5% from last year and is the highest October inventory since the data series began in 1994.

Placements in feedlots during September totaled 470,000 head, down 16% from 2011.

Marketings of fed cattle during September totaled 370,000 head, up 6% from last year. Other disappearance during September totaled 10,000 head, equal to a year ago.

Nationally, the number of cattle on feed is down 3%. Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.0 million head on October 1, 2012. The inventory was 3% below October 1, 2011.

Placements in feedlots during September totaled 2.00 million, 19% below 2011. This is the lowest cattle placements for the month of September since the series began in 1996.

Marketings of fed cattle during September totaled 1.60 million, 12% below 2011. This is the second lowest cattle marketings for the month of September since the series began in 1996. Other disappearance totaled 64,000 during September, 14% below 2011.

For more information, see the national USDA report.