Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.1 million head on May 1, 2012. The inventory was 1 percent below May 1, 2011.
Placements in feedlots during April totaled 1.52 million, 15 percent below 2011. Net placements were 1.44 million head. During April, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 355,000, 600-699 pounds were 250,000, 700-799 pounds were 380,000, and 800 pounds and greater were 536,000.
Marketings of fed cattle during April totaled 1.82 million, slightly above 2011.
Other disappearance totaled 78,000 during April, 30 percent above 2011.
