By DTN Staff
OMAHA (DTN) -- Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.6 million head on April 1, 2026. The inventory was 1% below April 1, 2025, USDA NASS reported on Friday.
The inventory included 7.26 million steers and steer calves, down slightly from the previous year. This group accounted for 63% of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.32 million head, down 1% from 2025.
Placements in feedlots during March totaled 1.71 million head, 7% below 2025. Net placements were 1.66 million head. Placements were the second lowest for March since the series began in 1996. During March, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 320,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 250,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 435,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 474,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 170,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 60,000 head.
Marketings of fed cattle during March totaled 1.63 million head, 6% below 2025. Marketings were the second lowest for March since the series began in 1996.
Other disappearance totaled 50,000 head during March, 9% below 2025.
**
DTN subscribers can view the full Cattle on Feed reports in the Livestock Archives folder under the Markets menu. The report is also available at https://www.nass.usda.gov/….
| |
USDA Actual |
Average Estimate* |
Range |
| On Feed April 1 |
99% |
99.8% |
99.4-100.1% |
| Placed in March |
93% |
93.5% |
92.3-94.5% |
| Marketed in March |
94% |
93.7% |
92.3-95.3% |
| * Estimates compiled by Dow Jones. |
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