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 March 1, 2024. The inventory was 1 percent above March 1, 2023.
Placements in feedlots during February totaled 1.89 million head, 10 percent above 2023. Placements were the highest for February since the series began in 1996. Net placements were 1.83 million head.
During February, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 360,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 330,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 515,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 485,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 150,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 50,000 head.
Marketings of fed cattle during February totaled 1.79 million head, 3 percent above 2023.
Other disappearance totaled 56,000 head during February, 3 percent below 2023.
