US Cattle On Feed Up 1 Percent, Better Than Expected Placements "Friendly News"

The latest cattle on feed report shows herd expansion is underway in the U.S. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported Friday, the number of cattle on feed in the U.S. totaled 10.64 million head as of May first. That's up one percent over a year ago. Tom Leffler of Leffler Commodities said the biggest surprise in the report was the placements figure.

"Overall, this report showed a little friendliness with the lower than expected placements, that kind of helps offset a little bit of what we saw last month when we had higher than expected placements," Leffler said.

Placements in feedlots during April totaled 1.55 million, five percent below 2014. Net placements were 1.48 million head. That was lower than trade expectations. Leffler said this is second smallest monthly placement number of the past ten years and the third lowest placement April number of the past thirteen years.

During April, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 320,000, 600-699 pounds were 240,000, 700-799 pounds were 348,000, and 800 pounds and greater were 640,000, up 6.7 percent. Leffler said 800 plus pound category continues the trend of larger increases over a year ago.

Marketings of fed cattle during April totaled 1.64 million, eight percent below 2014. April marketings are the lowest since the series began in 1996.

Other disappearance totaled 66,000 during April, 20 percent below 2014.