STURGIS, SD – Industry analysis points to the latest Cattle on Feed report as bearish for cattle markets in the near-term due in part to placements being over what many analysts expected ahead of the report. USDA reports 2.104 million cattle were placed during August, up 2% from a year ago and also above August 2019 pre-pandemic levels.
A combination of drought in parts of cattle country, the higher placements number along with the higher cattle slaughter numbers may result in long-term implications to cattle markets-especially if both domestic and foreign consumer demand holds.
USDA NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS – Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.2 million head on September 1, 2021. The inventory was 1 percent below September 1, 2020. This is the second highest September 1 inventory since the series began in 1996.
Placements in feedlots during August totaled 2.10 million head, 2 percent above 2020. Net placements were 2.05 million head. During August, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 405,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 310,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 480,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 534,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 275,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 100,000 head.
Marketings of fed cattle during August totaled 1.89 million head, slightly below 2020.
Other disappearance totaled 59,000 head during August, 7 percent above 2020.
COLORADO
The number of cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in Colorado feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 head or larger was estimated at 1,080,000 head as of September 1, 2021. The latest inventory was 4 percent above last month and 4 percent above the September 1, 2020 inventory.
Cattle feeders with 1,000 head or larger capacity marketed an estimated 170,000 head of fed cattle during August 2021. This was 3 percent below last month’s marketings, but 10 percent above the marketings one year earlier.
An estimated 215,000 cattle and calves were placed on feed during August 2021, 34 percent above the previous month’s placements and 19 percent above August 2020 placements. Of the number placed in August, 16 percent weighed less than 600 pounds, 14 percent weighed from 600 to 699 pounds, 21 percent weighed from 700 to 799 pounds, 28 percent weighed from 800-899 pounds, and 21 percent weighed 900 pounds and greater.
Other disappearance for August, was 5,000 head, the same as last month and last year.
MINNESOTA
Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in Minnesota feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 90,000 head on September 1, 2021, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Cattle on Feed report. This was down 5% from August and down 18% from September 1, 2020.
Placements of cattle and calves in Minnesota feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during August totaled 14,000 head, up 27% from July and up 17% from last year.
Marketings of fed cattle from Minnesota feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during August totaled 18,000 head, up 20% from July but down 14% from last year.
Other disappearance totaled 1,000 head.
IOWA
Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 590,000 head on September 1, 2021, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Cattle on Feed report. This was down 2% from August and down 3% from September 1, 2020.
Iowa feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head had 450,000 head on feed, down 1% from last month and down 7% from last year. Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in all Iowa feedlots totaled 1,040,000 head, down 1% from last month and down 5% from last year.
Placements of cattle and calves in Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during August totaled 78,000 head, up 39% from July and up 4% from last year. Feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head placed 54,000 head, up 42% from July and up 29% from last year. Placements for all feedlots in Iowa totaled 132,000 head, up 40% from July and up 13% from last year.
Marketings of fed cattle from Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during August totaled 86,000 head, up 62% from July and up 4% from last year. Feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head marketed 56,000 head, down 8% from July but up 4% from last year. Marketings for all feedlots in Iowa were 142,000 head, up 25% from July and up 4% from last year.
Other disappearance from all feedlots in Iowa totaled 5,000 head.
NEBRASKA
Nebraska feedlots, with capacities of 1,000 or more head, contained 2.28 million cattle on feed on September 1, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. This inventory was unchanged from last year.
Placements during August totaled 560,000 head, up 11% from 2020.
Fed cattle marketings for the month of August totaled 470,000 head, up 8% from last year.
Other disappearance during August totaled 10,000 head, unchanged from last year.
KANSAS
Kansas feedlots, with capacities of 1,000 or more head, contained 2.47 million cattle on feed on September 1, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. This inventory was unchanged from last year.
Placements during August totaled 530,000 head, down 2% from 2020.
Fed cattle marketings for the month of August totaled 460,000 head, down 2% from last year.
Other disappearance during August totaled 10,000 head, unchanged from last year.
OKLAHOMA/TEXAS
This report contains results from the September 2021 Cattle on Feed Survey collected during the first two weeks of September. Data provided by Oklahoma and Texas producers are the foundation of the estimates made for the Southern Plains region.
Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in Texas feedlots with capacity of 1,000 head or more totaled 2.70 million head on September 1, 2021, down 5 percent from a year ago.
Producers placed 395 thousand head in commercial feedlots during August, down 10 percent from a year ago.
Texas commercial feeders marketed 400 thousand head during August, down 7 percent from 2020.
On September 1, there were 2.40 million head of cattle and calves on feed in the Northern High Plains, 89 percent of the state’s total. The number on feed across the area was down 5 percent from last year and down 1 percent from the August 1 total.
August placements in the Northern High Plains totaled 359 thousand head, up 7 percent from the July total.
Marketings were down 3 percent from last month at 358 thousand head.
