26 January 2007

2 minute read

North America

Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 12.0 million head on January 1, 2007. The inventory was 1 percent above January 1, 2006 and 6 percent above January 1, 2005. This is the highest January 1 inventory since the series began in 1996. The inventory included 7.57 million steers and steer calves, up slightly from the previous year. This group accounted for 63 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.30 million head, up 4 percent from January 1, 2006.

Placements in feedlots during December totaled 1.71 million, 9 percent below 2005 and 7 percent below 2004. Net placements were 1.63 million. During December, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 470,000, 600-699 pounds were 504,000, 700-799 pounds were 420,000, and 800 pounds and greater were 320,000.

Marketings of fed cattle during December totaled 1.63 million, 5 percent below 2005 and 9 percent below 2004. This is the lowest fed cattle marketings for the month of December since the series began in 1996.

Other disappearance totaled 88,000 during December, 3 percent below 2005 and 4 percent below 2004.