Cattle, calf on feed inventories climb after September slump

DES MOINES — Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 640,000 head on Oct. 1, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service — Cattle on Feed report. This was up three percent from both Sept. 1, 2023, and Oct. 1, 2022. Iowa feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head had 475,000 head on feed, up seven percent from last month and up two percent from last year. Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in all Iowa feedlots totaled 1,115,000 head, up five percent from last month and up three percent from last year.

Placements of cattle and calves in Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during September 2023 totaled 88,000 head, up 17% from August and up four percent from September 2022. Feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head placed 64,000 head, up 33% from August and up 45% from September 2022. Placements for all feedlots in Iowa totaled 152,000 head, up 24% from August and up 18% from September 2022.

Marketings of fed cattle from Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during September 2023 totaled 67,000 head, down nine percent from August and down eight percent from September 2022. Feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head marketed 30,000 head, down 60% from August and down 47% from September 2022. Marketings for all feedlots in Iowa were 97,000 head, down 35% from August and down 25% from September 2022. Other disappearance from all feedlots in Iowa totaled 5,000 head.

Note: This report is a combination of estimates from the USDA Cattle on Feed survey for Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship-funded Cattle on Feed survey for Iowa feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head.

Nationally, cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.6 million head on October 1, 2023. The inventory was one percent above Oct. 1, 2022. This is the second highest October 1 inventory since the series began in 1996. The inventory included 6.95 million steers and steer calves, up slightly from the previous year. This group accounted for 60% of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.64 million head, up one percent from 2022.

Placements in feedlots during September totaled 2.21 million head, six percent above 2022. Net placements were 2.15 million head. During September, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 460,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 355,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 485,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 521,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 290,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 95,000 head.

Marketings of fed cattle during September totaled 1.66 million head, 11% below 2022.

Other disappearance totaled 57,000 head during September, eight percent above 2022.