All eyes were excited to see what USDA would do for the April cattle on feed report. Early estimates for the report showed strong placements as high as 30%-40% ahead of the previous year. That is because in 2020 the first cattle delays of the pandemic were becoming known and registered in USDA data.
The report did not disapoint, but did come in slightly below some analysts estiamtes.
Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.9 million head on April 1, 2021. The inventory was 5% above April 1, 2020. This is the second highest April 1 inventory since the series began in 1996. The inventory included 7.41 million steers and steer calves, up 5% percent from the previous year. This group accounted for 62% of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.49 million head, up 7% from 2020.
Placements in feedlots during March totaled 2.00 million head, 28% above 2020. Net placements were 1.94 million head. During March, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 405,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 325,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 510,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 522,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 175,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 60,000 head.
Marketings of fed cattle during March totaled 2.04 million head, 1% above 2020. Marketings were the second
highest for March since the series began in 1996.
Other disappearance totaled 60,000 head during March, 2 percent below 2020.
| April Cattle on Feed | April 2021 | Est. | Range of Estimates |
| On Feed | 105.30% | 106.10% | 105%-107.5% |
| Placed | 128.30% | 133.70% | 128%-143.4% |
| Marketed | 101.50% | 101.10% | 100.5%-101.6% |
Clay Patton talks with Kyle Bumsted to learn how the data may impact the market on Monday
