Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter in feedlots with capacity of 1,000 head or more of cattle totaled 10.6 million head on June 1. Analysts expect supplies of feeder cattle to tighten further in the near-term. Ranchers are retaining some cattle for herd expansion and weather conditions are helping restore major grazing pastures.
Placements in feedlots during May dropped 7 percent to 1.91 million, according to NASS. Net placements were 1.81 million head. In May, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 lbs. were 435,000, 600-699 lbs. were 290,000, 700-799 lbs. were 477,000 and 800 lbs. and heavier were 710,000.
Marketings of fed cattle during May totaled 1.87 million, a decline of 4 percent compared to a year ago, NASS reported. May marketings are the lowest for the month since the series began in 1996.
Other disappearance climbed 1 percent to 101,000 during May.
