February Cattle On Feed Report...

Released by USDA on February 24, 2023

United States Cattle on Feed Down 4 Percent

Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.7 million head on February 1, 2023. The inventory was 4 percent below February 1, 2022.

Placements in feedlots during January totaled 1.93 million head, 4 percent below 2022. Net placements were 1.87 million head. During January, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 405,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 420,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 540,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 402,000 head,900-999 pounds were 100,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 65,000 head.

Marketings of fed cattle during January totaled 1.85 million head, 4 percent above 2022.

Other disappearance totaled 63,000 head during January, 2 percent below 2022.

Cattle on Feed and Annual Size Group Estimates

Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head represented 82.5 percent of all cattle and calves on feed in the United States on January 1, 2023. This is comparable to the 81.9 percent on January 1, 2022.

Marketings of fed cattle for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head during 2022 represented 87.2 percent of total cattle marketed from all feedlots in the United States, up slightly from 87.2 percent during 2021.