Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.8 million head on May 1, 2019. The inventory was 2 percent above May 1, 2018. This is the highest May 1 inventory since the series began in 1996.
Placements in feedlots during April totaled 1.84 million head, 9 percent above 2018. Net placements were 1.78 million head. During April, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 355,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 250,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 447,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 495,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 210,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 85,000 head.
In Texas April inventory was up 6 percent over last year and down 2 percent from the previous month. Texas placed on feed was up 8 percent over 2018 numbers and down 14 percent from the previous month.
The only 2 states that didn’t report a downturn in placements from the previous month were Washington and Nebraska.
Marketings of fed cattle during April totaled 1.93 million head, 7 percent above 2018.
Other disappearance totaled 60,000 head during April, 5 percent below 2018.