December 21, 2007

Nebraska feedlots, with capacities of 1,000 or more head, contained 2.52 million cattle on feed on December 1, according to USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service, Nebraska Field Office. This inventory was up slightly from last year and 5% above December 1, 2005. This is the highest December 1 inventory since the data series began in 1994.Placements during November totaled 485,000 head, up 5% from 2006 and 10% above 2005.

Fed cattle marketings for the month of November totaled 355,000 head, down 7% from last year but 16% above November two years ago. Other disappearance during November totaled 10,000 head, compared with 10,000 head last year and 15,000 in 2005.

U.S. Cattle on Feed Up 1%

Nationally cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market from feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 12.1 million head on December 1, 2007. The inventory was 1% above December 1, 2006 and 3% above December 1, 2005. This is the highest December 1 inventory since the series began in 1996.Placements in feedlots during November totaled 2.12 million, 12% above 2006 and 3% above 2005.

Marketings of fed cattle during November totaled 1.74 million, 3% below 2006 but 2% above 2005. Other disappearance totaled 57,000 during November, 31% below 2006 and 37% below 2005.