WASHINGTON, D.C. – The USDA says there were more cattle placed into U.S. feed lots in December 2021 than any other December on record. Increased placements are tied to heavier marketings last year, poor forage conditions, and high hay prices in some of the major feeding areas. December totals of 1.963 million head was 6% above the previous year, with most of the cattle weighing less than 600 pounds, moving to market late this spring into summer.
The total number of cattle on feed in the U.S. on January 1st was 12.037 million head, 1% above a year ago, and the second highest total inventory on record to start the year. That included 7.362 million steers and steer calves, down 1%, and 4.675 million heifers and heifer calves, up 2%.
By weight, placements of cattle weighing less than 600 pounds were 510,000 head, placements of cattle weighing 600 to 699 pounds were 470,000 head, and placements of cattle weighing 700 to 799 pounds were 450,000 head, while 800 to 899 pound placements were 333,000 head, 900 to 999 pound placements were 105,000 head, and placements of cattle weighing 1,000 pounds and heavier were 95,000 head.
December marketings were 1.857 million head, the second highest for the month since the series of reports started, and up slightly on the year.
MINNESOTA
On feed: 100,000 head, down 13% from January 1st, 2021; Placements: 11,000 head, down 31 percent from November but up 22 percent from last year; Marketings: December totaled 15,000 head, unchanged from November but down 17 % from last year.
COLORADO
On feed: 1.13 million head, down 1% from December 1, 2021 but up 2% from January 1, 2021; Placements: 165,000, 3% above last month and 6% above the December 2020 placements of 155,000
head; Marketings: 170,000 during December 2021, 3% above the previous month and unchanged from the December 2020 marketings.
IOWA
On feed: 600,000, down down 2% from December and down 2% from January 1, 2021. Placements: 87,000, down 7% from November and down 6% from December 2020; Marketings: 94,000 head, up 2% from November and up 3% from December 2020.
NEBRASKA
On feed: 2.6 million head, up 50,000 from January 1st, 2021; Placements: 505,000 head, 25,000 higher than December 2020; Marketings: 475,000 head, 25,000 less than last year.
KANSAS
On feed: 2.49 million head, down 10,000 from January 1st, 2021; Placements: 450,000 head, 10,000 higher than December 2020; Marketings: 430,000 head, 5,000 more than last year.
TEXAS
On feed:2.92 million, up 2% from a year ago; Placements: 445,000, up 17% from a year ago; Marketings: 395,000 head during December, unchanged from 2021.
TEXAS NORTHER HIGH PLAINS/89% of State’s total
On feed: 2.59 million, up 2% from last year and up 1% from the December 1 total; Placements: 396,000; Marketings: 356,000, down 2% from last month.
