“We Nailed It!”” That was the first word from Dr. Derrell Peel of OSU on the latest USDA Cattle on Feed Report- perhaps the biggest news from the report is confirmation that we still have a bunch of heifers on feed- more than any other January On Feed Report in recent memory.
United States Cattle on Feed Up 2 Percent Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.9 million head on January 1, 2024. The inventory was 2 percent above January 1, 2023.
The inventory included 7.20 million steers and steer calves, up 2 percent from the previous year. This group accounted for 60 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.74 million head, up 2 percent from 2023.
Placements in feedlots during December totaled 1.70 million head, 4 percent below 2022. Net placements were 1.64 million head.
Marketings of fed cattle during December totaled 1.73 million head, 1 percent below 2022.
