060102 U.S. Cattle on Feed Up 4%January 22, 2006Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.8 million head on January 1, 2006. The inventory was 4 percent above January 1, 2005 and 5 percent above January 1, 2004. The inventory included 7.57 million steers and steer calves, up 6 percent from the previous year. This group accounted for 64 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.15 million head, up 2 percent from January 1, 2005. Placements in feedlots during December totaled 1.88 million, 3 percent above 2004 and 8 percent above 2003. This is the highest placements for the month of December since the series began in 1996. Net placements were 1.79 million. During December, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 575,000, 600-699 pounds were 554,000, 700-799 pounds were 430,000, and 800 pounds and greater were 325,000. Marketings of fed cattle during December totaled 1.72 million, 3 percent below 2004 and 1 percent below 2003. Other disappearance totaled 91,000 during December, 1 percent below 2004 but 1 percent above 2003.
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