Cattle placements rise above year ago levels

The USDA says market ready cattle supplies should rise over the next few months.

1.841 million cattle entered U.S. feedlots during March, 5% above a year ago, because of a combination of factors, including strong demand for feeder cattle and the ongoing drought situation in many major feeding areas pulling some cattle out of pastures.

U.S. feeder cattle imports from Mexico are slower than the 2024 pace, but there is movement after a pause late last year and early this year following the discovery of New World screwworm.

Marketings during March were up 1% on the year at 1.725 million head.

The total number of cattle on feed in the U.S. on April 1st was 11.638 million head, down 2%, with the steer and steer calf inventory slightly lower at 7.258 million head and the heifer and heifer calf inventory falling 4% to 4.38 million head.

The numbers look neutral to bearish for cash, wholesale, and futures prices, but that will also demand on domestic and global demand for beef.

Comparisons for Brownfield states:

Iowa: On Feed: 680,000 head, up 3% from April 1st, 2024; Placements: 104,000 head, 1% lower than March of last year; Marketings: 93,000 head, unchanged from a year ago