Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.3 million head on October 1, 2011. The inventory was 5 percent above October 1, 2010. This is the second highest October 1 inventory since the series began in 1996. The inventory included 6.95 million steers and steer calves, up 5 percent from the previous year. This group accounted for 61 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.32 million head, up 5 percent from 2010.

Placements in feedlots during September totaled 2.47 million, slightly above 2010. Net placements were 2.40 million head. During September, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 685,000, 600-699 pounds were 415,000, 700-799 pounds were 504,000, and 800 pounds and greater were 865,000.

Marketings of fed cattle during September totaled 1.81 million, 1 percent above 2010.

Other disappearance totaled 74,000 during September, 37 percent above 2010.