Two Percent Feeder Population Gain Continues

Feedlot populations in the U.S. carried their two percent year-over-year increases into the new year. The monthly Cattle on Feed report indicates that America’s larger feedlots had 11-point-nine-three million cattle on hand to start the month, slightly lower than January first but about a quarter-million more than this time a year ago. Marketings were up one percent from the previous January at one-point-nine-three million, while placements were slightly lower at one-point-nine-six million. Twenty more feedlots are included on this year’s reports than the previous year at 21-hundred-80, while 26-thousand feedlots have fewer than one-thousand head, accounting for over two-point-seven million head of cattle not included in USDA’s monthly updates.