US cattle on feed up 7 percent, Texas cattle on feed up 10 percent

The USDA-NASS released their latest Cattle on Feed report on Friday, April 20. Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.7 million head on April 1, 2018. The inventory was 7 percent above April 1, 2017. This is the second highest April 1 inventory since the series began in 1996. The inventory included 7.54 million steers and steer calves, up 4 percent from the previous year. This group accounted for 64 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.19 million head, up 14 percent from 2017.
Click or tap here to read the full U.S. Cattle on Feed report. (PDF)
Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in Texas feedlots with capacity of 1,000 head or more totaled 2.70 million head on April 1, 2018, up 10 percent from a year ago. Producers placed 455 thousand head in commercial feedlots during March, down 1 percent from a year ago. Texas commercial feeders marketed 420 thousand head during March, down 1 percent from 2017.
On April 1, there were 2.35 million head of cattle and calves on feed in the Northern High Plains, 87 percent of the state’s total. The number on feed across the area was up 8 percent from last year and up 1 percent from the March 1 total. March placements in the Northern High Plains totaled 406 thousand head, up 29 percent from the February total. Marketings were up 30 percent from last month at 361 thousand head.
Click or tap here to read the full Texas Cattle on Feed report. (PDF)