AUSTIN . . . Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in Texas feedlots with capacity of 1,000 head or more totaled 2.59 million head on October 1, down 9 percent from a year ago. According to the monthly report released by the Texas Field Office, the estimate was up slightly from the September 1 level. Producers placed 510,000 head in commercial feedlots during September, down 14 percent from a year ago, but the same number as the August 2008 total.
Texas commercial feeders marketed 490,000 head during September, up 2 percent from last year but down 4 percent from last month.
On September 1, there were 2.21 million head of cattle and calves on feed in the Northern High Plains, 85 percent of the state=s total. The number on feed across the area was down 9 percent from last year but up 1 percent from the September total.
September placements in the Northern High Plains totaled 443,000 head, down 2 percent from the August total. Marketings were down 9 percent from last month to 410,000 head.