U.S. Cattle on Feed Update – Aug ’16
According to USDA, cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the U.S. for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 10.17 million head on Aug 1st, finishing 1.6% above the previous year. The Aug ’16 U.S. cattle on feed supply was up 163,000 head from Aug 1st of last year.
Placements in feedlots during Jul ’16 totaled 1.57 million head, up 25,000 head, or 1.6%, from July of last year. Placements for those weighing 700-799 pounds increased the most on a YOY basis, finishing up 10.1%, while placements for those weighing 800 pounds or more increased 0.8% YOY throughout the month. Placements for those weighing 600-699 pounds finishing flat YOY, while those weighing less than 600 pounds declined 3.6% during Jul ’16. Placements in feedlots declined 4.5% throughout the ’14-’15 production season, finishing at the lowest annual figure on record, but have rebounded by 1.5% YTD throughout the first ten months of the ’15-’16 production season.
After deferred placements of heavier animals during the summer of 2014, weights from Aug ’14 – Jul ’16 indicate a continued trend towards heavier placements. Placements for those weighing 800 pounds or more have increased by 7.9% YOY over the 24 month period.
Jul ’16 cattle placements under 700 pounds declined by 13,000 head, or 2.2%, YOY, finishing lower on a YOY basis for the 21st time in the past 22 months. Cattle placements under 700 pounds were generally higher throughout the ’13-’14 production season, finishing up 4.7% YOY, however ’14-’15 placements under 700 pounds finished down 11.1% YOY to the lowest annual figure on record. ’15-’16 YTD placements under 700 pounds are down an additional 6.2% YOY throughout the first ten months of the production season.
Jul ’16 cattle placements 700 pounds or heavier continued to decline seasonally but finished up 38,000 head, or 4.0%, on a YOY basis. Cattle placements 700 pounds or heavier finished the ’13-’14 production season down 3.3% after declining 9.0% over the second half of the production season but gained back a portion of the previous year declines throughout the ’14-’15 production season, finishing up 1.0% YOY. ’15-’16 YTD placements 700 pounds or heavier are up an additional 7.3% YOY throughout the first ten months of the production season.
Marketings of fed cattle during Jul ’16 totaled 1.71 million head, down 12,000 head, or 0.7%, from July of last year. The YOY decline in the marketing of fed cattle was the first experienced in six months. Other disappearance totaled 50,000 head during Jul ’16, down 6,000 head, or 10.7% on a YOY basis.