Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 10.6 million head on January 1, 2017. The inventory was slightly above January 1, 2016. The inventory included 7.02 million steers and steer calves, down 2 percent from the previous year. This group accounted for 66 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 3.58 million head, up 5 percent from 2016.
Placements in feedlots during December totaled 1.80 million head, 18 percent from 2015. Net placements were 1.74 million head. During December, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 435,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 450,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 450,000 head, and 800 pounds and greater were 460,000 head.
Marketings of fed cattle during December totaled 1.79 million head, 7 percent above 2015.
Other disappearance totaled 55,000 head during December, 29 percent below 2015.
Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in California for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 430,000 head on January 1, 2017. The inventory was 2 percent above from last month and 4 percent below January 1, 2016. During December, placements in feedlots totaled 65,000 head, up 33 from the previous year. Marketings of fed cattle during December totaled 52,000 head, up 6 percent from December 2015. Other disappearance totaled 3,000 head during December, down 40 percent from December 2015.
Read the full USDA January Pacific Region Cattle on Feed Review. (.pdf)