November 2013 Articles

Archives by Months

Summary of October USDA NASS Cattle on Feed:

Summary of October USDA NASS Cattle on Feed:
Source: Ross Pruitt, Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness LSU AgCenter

This month’s USDA NASS’ Cattle on Feed report doesn’t contain any big surprises. While the number of cattle marketed from feedlots of at least 1,000 head capacity was on the high side of what analysts thought USDA would report, this is accounted for in the fact there was one additional slaughter in September 2013 compared to a year ago. When accounting for the one extra slaughter day, marketings were only 0.8% higher than a year ago. The additional day in September also led to the placements number being higher than a year ago, but when that extra day is accounted for, placements were 4% lower. Placement of cattle weighing less than 700 pounds were down about 7% with cattle weighing at least 700 pounds was up 7%. The majority of reporting states exhibited increases in placements for September. Since 1996, this September was the second smallest for placements, third smallest for marketings, and fourth smallest for total cattle on feed.
The report also contained information on the number of steers, heifers, and cows and bulls on feed for the beginning of October. Steers were 7% lower than a year ago while heifers were 8%. Percentagewise, the decline in the number of heifers on feed compared to a year ago is the same as the decline seen from October 2012 relative to October 2011. While there are producers interested in expansion, this decline is likely not a sharp enough decline to indicate heifers are being held out of the feedlots in large numbers to see expansion in the next couple of years.