Cattle and calves on feed in feedlots with more than 1,000-head capacity totaled 12.0 million head on April 1, 2019. The inventory was 2% above April 1, 2018. This is the highest April 1 inventory since the series began in 1996. The inventory included 7.45 million steers and steer calves, down 1 percent from 2018.
Steers group accounted for 62 percent of the total inventory, while heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.51 million head, up 8% from 2018.
Placements in feedlots during March totaled 2.01 million head, 5% higher than 2018. Net placements were 1.95 million head. During March, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 325,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 300,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 595,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 539,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 185,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 70,000 head.
Marketings of fed cattle during March totaled 1.78 million head, 3% below 2018. Other disappearance totaled 69,000 head during March, 3% above 2018.
