United States Cattle on Feed down 3 percent

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 percent below October 1, 2011. The inventory included 6.96 million steers and steer calves, up slightly from the previous year. This group accounted for 63 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 3.97 million head, down 8 percent from 2011.

Placements in feedlots during September totaled 2.00 million, 19 percent below 2011. This is the lowest cattle placements for the month of September since the series began in 1996. Net placements were 1.94 million head. During September, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 515,000, 600-699 pounds were 355,000, 700-799 pounds were 444,000, and 800 pounds and greater were 690,000.

Marketings of fed cattle during September totaled 1.60 million, 12 percent 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 percent below 2011.

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